Star Fox: Hornet
by FoxMcCloud7921
Summary: One month has passed since the Cerinian incident and the CFC Hornet has returned to the planet. Tacitus is gone but the pirate forces are still a looming threat to the Lylat System. Captain Hill has requested Krystal as a guide for Cornerian forces to invade the planet and eradicate the pirate stronghold. But will Krystal learn more about the fate of her planet and her people?
1. Homecoming

(A/N: You know what's sad? Literally two days after finishing Ghosts of Cerinia I had already said I'd wait maybe a week before starting and… here we are. I couldn't take it anymore, that's how bad I am. Anyway, before we start I should explain a few things. One, while you could say this is a sequel, I'm actually intending it to be a tie-in between Ghosts of Cerinia and the story I plan to do afterwards, although for that particular story you probably won't hear about it for quite a while. So let's get started shall we? Also, just for some added entertainment, the song I'm using here is "Awakening (Gui Boratto Remix)" from Halo 4.)

* * *

**Star Fox**  
Hornet

Chapter 1: Homecoming

_The Cerinian Conflict_

_*Six months after the Aparoid Invasion, Cornerian scouts located a planet outside the Lylat System matching the profile of the planet Cerinia, which had been destroyed shortly after the Lylat War, reasons unknown. After discovering the planet, the _CFC Hornet _which had discovered the planet, lost control of its systems and crash landed on the planet. General Pepper, having no other choice, contacts the Star Fox team to investigate the long lost planet._

_What they would discover then would put Corneria, along with the entire Lylat System in peril. The Cerinians who many had thought perished had been assimilated into AI constructs due to a bioweapon designed by Andross. Tacitus, the only Cerinian who appeared to survive the outcome of the planet, was planning to use this weapon against the Cornerians in revenge. But thanks to Fox and Krystal, they were able to stop him in time before the entire planet was wiped out. As of now, Tacitus' whereabouts are unknown, nor if he had perished or somehow survived._

_Now, one month later, the _Hornet _returns to the planet to combat an additional threat: the growing presence of pirate forces in that sector. Their mission: stop the pirates at all costs and execute with extreme prejudice…  
_

* * *

_Salt Pit, Katina; One month later…_

Just outside the interrogation roomthe Cornerian official read the file he was given on the newest prisoner:

_Jorge Ward – 19_

_When of age, he joined in on Oikonny's Rebellion but fled back to the Sargasso Region after the Aparoid Invasion. He states that he was part of the group deployed on Cerinia but that his fellow squad mates had been brainwashed into aiding Tacitus. He escaped the planet and went AWOL but was soon picked up by a Cornerian patrol._

The interrogator sighed. _"Just another ape willing to sell out his friends for freedom." _Still, Jorge was an important asset at the moment and he, the interrogator, had to do his job. He went inside the room where it was dark accept for the light that was shining on Jorge's face. The interrogator sat down and shuffled through the papers he was carrying. "So… Mr. Ward, would you care to explain again what you told officials earlier?"

"Look, I'll tell you what I told them," Jorge said, his tone and quickness of speech suggesting he was nervous. "I had no part in whatever those things were on the planet. We were just told at the beginning to look for resources that would be good for us, ya know? Then all of a sudden this ship comes out of nowhere and my entire group just went off following that ship."

"And not you?"

"No, well, something was telling me, literally a voice in my head," Jorge explained. "Asking to join him, stop the Cornerians. I managed somehow to resist the voice and I just had a horrible feeling about it. I got the hell out of dodge, man."

"I see." The interrogator stared at him, although the ape couldn't see him. "Well, if that is true at least you can be acquitted from being charged with treason, despite your former allegiances, but as you know we do not tolerate piracy on any level and you'll still be spending at least twenty years here." Jorge was silent. "I do have one last question… when was the last time you had seen the Star Wolf team? Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalski, or Panther Caroso?"

"Not since before the Aparoid attack on Corneria City," Jorge replied. "Honestly, I can't tell you where he is."

"So they are dead?"

"Oh no. Well, I don't know about Leon or Panther but certainly not Wolf."

The interrogator was a bit surprised. "But… he was last heard to have helped the Star Fox team destroy the Aparoid home planet. In fact most believe they were killed before or by the explosion."

"Look, I don't know them personally but I know about what they did in the past. They're tough for a bunch of pilots, but if Wolf can survive being shot down by Fox McCloud twice, then he can survive anything. Don't ever doubt him."

* * *

_Cathness, Macbeth_

Like many days, it was raining in the city of Cathness. The large city consisted of just as large buildings with screens all over displaying ads of familiar products. People were going to and fro all over the city except for one man who was sitting under the tent, avoiding the rain, enjoying one of his favorite dishes from one of his favorite restaurants.

The main chef stood in front of the man, who was wearing a hood over his face, partly because of the rain but mostly to conceal his face, and asked, "Anything else I can get you?"

The man who was currently eating out of his bowl with chopsticks swallowed and said, "No, that'll be it." He then looked over with his good eye towards the TV in the restaurant where the news was currently being broadcasted.

"_In other news, word of the planet Cerinia's return is no longer a surprise to many but the Cornerian_ _government has confirmed that pirate forces are now becoming a larger threat to Cornerian society."_

The man's hood fell back slightly, revealing the eye patch on his left eye. Wolf O'Donnell glared at the TV, troubled by this. _"Would've thought they'd be done without us…"_ It had been seven months since he had helped the Star Fox team defeat the Aparoid Queen. He had barely gotten out of that alive.

He remembered how he had woken up from unconsciousness, saved by his ship's life support systems despite his entire ship being shut down. He had been floating in space for who knew how long and he couldn't get in contact with Leon or Panther. No doubt they had been in the same situation and had moved on. Seven months and he still hadn't heard a word.

Once he was done with his meal, he paid the chef and left, heading towards the hangars where his Wolfen was currently docked. Seven months he spent hiding, not sure whether he was still considered a criminal or a hero. _"Maybe the pup put in a good word for me,"_ he thought with a smirk. He then started up his ship remotely, opening the cockpit.

"Nice ship sir." He then looked over and saw a young Rottweiler admiring his Wolfen.

"Hmph, if you work hard in the Academy maybe you'll have one too someday," Wolf replied as he got into his ship. The Wolfen then cleared the hangar and exited Macbeth space. He set his destination to new coordinates: planet Cerinia.

* * *

_Sargasso Region, Lylat System_

"General Brynhilde, we are prepared to warp."

The large ape, seated in his chair of the ship the _Imperator, _flagship of the pirate fleet, nodded. "Any word from Cerinia?"

"Yes sir," the main pilot responded. "The Cornerian ship _Hornet _along with two other battlecruisers are stationed on the far side of the planet as we predicted. We should be able to skip past them undetected with the new cloaking device that's been installed."

"Very good," Brynhilde responded, lounging back in his seat with his hands folded together. _"With the secrets that Cerinia holds, in our hands we'd become the mightiest force in the galaxy, mightier than the Cornerians or even Andross' army. And once the Cornerians are forced to surrender everything, then I will be the true Emperor of the entire Lylat System."  
_

* * *

_Planet Cerinia_

It had been about three days since the _CFC_ _Hornet_, along with the _Vindicator _and the _Impeccable_, made their return to Cerinia. The three ships floated almost parallel to one another overlooking the giant blue planet.

Captain Hill was on the main deck staring at a holographic view of the planet and he wasn't too happy with what he was seeing. "How bad Lieutenant?" he asked.

"Pretty bad sir," Lieutenant Axelrod replied. The view of the planet changed to a local viewpoint. "They've established a base using one of the temples shown here, and it's now full of anti-aircraft turrets, laser towers, you name it."

"Damn it." Hill looked over to an Aussie Shepherd in dress uniform. "Of course I and the team have to do all the dirty work."

"Are you complaining Savannah?" Hill asked with a bit of a smirk.

"No sir, I'd love to have others be able to share the credit from time to time," Corporal Savannah replied.

Hill then turned back to Axelrod. "How large are their numbers?"

"Larger than the first time we were here," Axelrod replied. "They're pretty serious about this."

"Well, at least we'll only have one group to worry about this time," Hill said, taking a seat with a sigh. "This is the closest thing to a war without officially calling it a war."

A soldier then came into the room and did a quick salute. "Sir, Commander Grey has arrived along with Bulldog and Husky Unit."

"Good, send him up here," Hill acknowledged. "And our other guest?"

"Not yet sir."

"Ah, she'll be here soon," Hill replied.

Bill Grey soon entered the room afterwards dressed in his Cornerian flight suit. Bill was a veteran pilot of almost ten years now, earning his title of Commander shortly before the Lylat War. He approached Hill and saluted. "Commander Grey, reporting in."

"At ease Commander," Hill said. "Your timing is perfect. I'm assuming you were briefed on the current situation?"

"Most of it, although I wonder why you need both Husky and Bulldog Units?" Bill asked.

"The pirates are dug in deep on the planet," Hill explained. "Savannah and her troops can get in and take out their air defenses but the real damage is going to come from the air and we'll need all the help we can get. We also have to assume that we will be engaged with the enemy fleet at some point, even though for the time being they've backed off."

"And what about the rest of the fleet?" Bill asked.

"If things get really bad, they'll be on standby," Hill replied.

"Sounds pretty serious then," Bill said.

"One problem though," Savannah said. "If the past is any indication, once we go through all that jungle, radar's gonna be useless and we don't know the terrain well."

"That's true, but I know someone who does," Hill answered. He then heard the doors open and looked over. "In fact, she just arrived."

They all looked over at their newest visitor, clad in her blue jumpsuit and heels. She then walked forward and stood in front of the group. "Krystal, reporting for duty," she said, saluting.

* * *

(A/N: Okay I admit that was rather predictable wasn't it? But why is Krystal here exactly, why is Wolf going to Cerinia and who the hell is Brynhilde? Well, you'll find out next chapter of course! But yes this is primarily just a Krystal story along with some familiar faces you know and love so I hope you all enjoy. As always I do not own Star Fox, unfortunately and I'll see you all again soon!)

FoxMcCloud7921


	2. Cornerian Ops

(A/N: Alright, for this part the song I'm using is "Game Over" from Star Fox 64.)

* * *

Chapter 2: Cornerian Ops

_Two days ago…_

Krystal found herself in a tunnel, almost resembling the ones in the temples on Cerinia. She could barely see where she was going and went forward, the only way she could go. She heard a noise up ahead and drew her blaster. Keeping it at her hip she continued forward slowly until she came to another room.

There were torches lit that brightened up the room and in the middle of it she saw some sort of device, Cerinian by the look of it. She then heard another sound behind her and turned around, but it was too late. *The laser shot her straight in the chest and she was quickly knocked off her feet. Krystal could see she was already losing blood and the sight caused her heart rate to accelerate which would eventually cause her to bleed to death.

She then saw her shooter was in fact a Cerinian but he was not alone. "Dear Krystal, when will you ever learn?" Tacitus appeared from the shadows, his arms crossed. "You are delving into things you cannot possibly understand." Krystal tried to speak but her breath was sucked out of her. "Go now Krystal and be reunited with your family, once and for all."

Krystal's vision was clouding and it wasn't long before everything turned to black as her head fell back into the ground.

* * *

Krystal's eyes opened wide as she took a deep breath of air. Looking around, she saw that she was on the _Great Fox_, still alive. She quickly calmed down. It had just been a dream. She then remembered she was not in her own bed and looked over and saw Fox, who was still sleeping and had his left arm around her.

She smiled and recalled the night before. They had, for the most part, just snuggled and kissed for the longest time before both of them fell asleep. Nothing bad. They had been together for almost a month now and it took Fox a couple days after they had been rescued from the Cerinian ship to explain their new relationship. Neither Peppy, Falco, or Slippy had an issue with it, although Falco made it clear to Fox he wasn't going to let him live it down at all, much to Fox's annoyance.

She then got up, gave Fox a quick kiss on the cheek and left to go to her own room. She then washed her face, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was just before six. She then looked out the window of her room. One of the luxuries of her room was being able to stare out deep into space. At this point, she saw the bright blue planet of Corneria taking up most of the window. Up until the past month, she had considered the planet, as well as the _Great Fox_ her home. And then, her own planet resurfaces… No matter how hard she tried to think otherwise, she knew there was no going back. It just wasn't the same. Maybe one day the planet could be repopulated, but it would never replace the people she knew, the people she lost.

Once she went back into her room she saw her tablet was flashing. She picked it up and saw she had a message from Captain Hill. The contents of the message made her frown slightly as she sat down on her bed. She was being asked to return to Cerinia, just her. _"No doubt Fox won't like that."_ They saw her as an expert of the planet and needed her guidance against the growing forces of the pirates.

It left her undecided. She didn't have to go; she could just let the Cornerians fight their own war until the Star Fox team would eventually be called in. Or she could use this moment to find out more about what happened on her planet before it was destroyed. Additionally, the thought of such ruffians using her planet as a base of terror and greed was enough to ruffle her fur. No matter how she looked at it, Cerinia was still her home, still her planet.

She then sent a message back to Hill before laying back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling which mimicked outside.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Briefing (Part 1)" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

*"Well, now that we're all here, we can finally break out the game plan," Hill said. "As I've mentioned before, the enemy base is located up in the mountains surrounded by anti-aircraft guns. Not even an Arwing could evade those. Therefore, before we can pound them we'll need to take out those guns."

"Sirius Squad is more than qualified to handle this part," Savannah said.

"New guys huh?" Hill asked. "What about Orion?"

"This is their chance to prove their worth, and I wouldn't put them up to it if I knew they couldn't handle it," Savannah said defiantly.

"Just getting to those guns isn't going to be an easy task," Krystal chimed in.

"I'd fly you in there but there's no way I'm risking getting my ship shot down," Bill said with a smirk.

"Oh really?" Krystal asked, smiling back.

"You know this planet more than anyone Krystal, so we'll need all the help we can get," Hill said. "Once you get there, there should be a power grid that controls them. Take it out and they'll be defenseless."

"And then Husky and Bulldog will deliver the heavy payload," Bill added.

"So, everyone know their orders?" Hill asked. "Alright, we launch in one hour."

After the briefing had ended, Bill and Krystal managed to share the same elevator ride down to the hangar. "Miss Krystal," he then said.

"Mr. Grey," Krystal said before giving him a hug. "It's good to see you again, Bill."

"Likewise Krystal," Bill replied, returning the hug. Soon they hit the bottom floor and they let go before the doors opened, trying to look professional. "It certainly has been awhile. So it's just you this time, no Fox?"

"Nope, no Fox."

"How is he by the way?"

"Well, he's not too thrilled that he's not here with me, but he's good." Krystal blushed slightly as they headed towards their ships. "Has he told you we're together now?"

"Hell no! When did this happen?" Bill asked.

"About a month ago."

"So when- wow, just wow." Bill then took off his shades and smiled. "Congrats to both of you. Sure hope he doesn't get jealous about you having me as a wingmate now."

Krystal laughed. "I'm sure he wouldn't be, but I believe if he knew you were here he'd have a few words with you regardless."

"Yeah, good ol' Fox," Bill said. "Well, time for me to lounge in my ship until duty calls."

"I'm sure there are more comfortable places elsewhere," Krystal said jokingly.

"Yeah, but this is my ship and it's the closest thing I got to a girl, which is why I gotta take good care of her," Bill grinned.

Krystal shook her head in amusement. "Alright Bill, see you planetside."

"Hey, but really," Bill said, the goofy look on his face gone. "Be careful down there."

"Yes sir." Krystal replied.

Meanwhile, the members of Sirius Squad were currently checking up on their weapons and equipment. The group consisted of Typhon, an Akita Inu; Nel, an Alaskan Klee Kai; Wedge, a Maine Coon; and Corin, a leopard. "Hey Typhon," Wedge asked. "Is that…?"

"Yeah, that's her alright," Typhon said. "Man, I knew she was pretty but seeing her in person…"

"Ugh, you two are pigs," Nel scoffed while inspecting the chamber of her gun. "You really think you'd have a shot with her?"

"Hey, I think any person in the army can easily get a girl," Typhon said proudly. "Now watch the pro in action." He then went up to Krystal who was tending to her Arwing. "Excuse me, miss Krystal?"

Krystal turned to him. "Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Typhon, from Sirius Squad," he said. "First of all, I just want you to know that you'll be just fine knowing that I got your back and if you ever need me don't hesitate to call."

Krystal knew what was going on here but she decided to play along. "Is that right? Well I'm completely flattered."

"And also… well, if you were interested, maybe after all this we could… get dinner or see a movie sometime?"

"Hey Krystal!" She looked over and saw Savannah coming over to her. "This guy bugging you?"

"Not at all," Krystal said. She then turned back to Typhon. "As nice as that sounds… I'm already with someone. You know the name Fox McCloud?"

"Ah…" Typhon looked dumbstruck. "I do ma'am… and I don't think I could compete with him." He recovered quickly and turned to Savannah. "How about you, miss…?"

"Savannah," she replied. "And I believe there's a 'Corporal' in that title as well."

Typhon's eyes widened and he quickly went to attention and saluted. "Officer on deck!" The other members of Sirius quickly followed suit.

"I'm going to make this clear to you Private Typhon," Savannah said, digging her finger into his chest. "No hitting on fellow teammates, especially this one!"

"Not at all ma'am," Typhon said.

"Good, now get suited up," Savannah said. Typhon went back to where his equipment was while Nel was laughing her ass off. "Sorry about that," Savannah said. "Recruits these days, huh?"

"Oh no he's alright, he is rather sweet in a way," Krystal replied.

"Yeah, yeah, but sometimes they just need a sharp kick in the tail from time to time." Savannah then looked over to Krystal. "Listen I… didn't quite get to thank you for what you did for us last time. If you guys hadn't shown up well… we'd be stuck on the planet for good probably."

"I remember Fox once saying, 'Mercenaries or not, we're all brothers in arms,'" Krystal replied.

"He's a smart guy, nice to know you have him as a boyfriend now," Savannah said. She then sighed. "As for m,e currently single, but it's no big deal. My uh… personality can be a turn off to some."

"You just have to wait until the right guy shows up," Krystal said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Savannah chuckled. "Yeah… I suppose you're right. Well, it's almost time. Let's get ready to tear things up."

* * *

(A/N: For this final part, the song I'm using is "Main Theme" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

With about fifteen minutes before launch, Krystal was currently sitting in her Arwing, much on her mind. She kept going back to the moment before she left for Cerinia.

"_You're sure about this?" Fox asked. All members were present in the meeting room._

_Krystal nodded. "I'm sorry it had to be this way but… Hill was rather specific."_

_*"Meh, not a problem to me," Falco said. "It's nice when someone other than Fox gets all the credit."_

"_And not you Falco?" Fox asked._

"_I'll have my moment, just you wait and see," Falco replied._

"_Well, if things get really hairy they may call us in as well," Slippy said._

"_It does seem rather odd just asking for Krystal but then again we do attend to attract a lot of attention," Peppy added._

"_Regardless, if things do get dire, I won't hesitate to call," Krystal said._

"_Just… be careful Krystal," Fox said._

"_I will."_

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as her Arwing ringed in an incoming transmission. _"Krystal, Sirius, do you copy?" _Hill's screen said and projected.

"_Copy _Hornet_." _Savannah replied.

"Affirmative," Krystal stated.

"_The ride to the planet might be a little bumpy but you're clear to proceed," _Hill said. _"No doubt the pirates know you're coming."_

Krystal then started her engines and did a quick pre-flight check. "All systems green."

"_Krystal, we're going to follow you in so find us a nice spot to land," _Savannah said.

"Will do," Krystal said as her Arwing began take off. It slowly started levitating off the floor and quickly exited the hangar doors, the Cornerian transport ship following. Krystal quickly adjusted her G-Diffuser systems before beginning reentry of the planet.

* * *

(A/N: I don't know whether I'm just excited about doing this story or what but I can't seem to peel myself away from it. As you can see, I've added even more characters to this story, which in some cases they are meant to be comedic relief but they do play an important role in this story later on. As for Wolf, well, his role will come into play soon as well. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys next week probably.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	3. Remnants of the Past

Chapter 3: Remnants of the Past

_Shortly after Krystal's arrival on the _Great Fox, _she and Fox stood next to one of the windows overlooking space. They could see Sauria in the far distance. "So what will you do now?" Fox asked._

_Krystal stared off into space. "Before I found Sauria, I was searching for answers as to what caused the destruction of my planet. The one you call Andross, he was the one who imprisoned me on Sauria and I realized then without a doubt he had been the cause. But, now that he's dead I'm not sure what else I can do."_

"_Well I promise this time he'll stay dead," Fox said heatedly. "But you know… if you're really not sure where else to go… you can always stay here."_

"_Stay… with you?" Krystal asked._

"_Well I mean… only if you want to," Fox replied quickly, blushing slightly. "I mean, you could become a member of the Star Fox team. Since Peppy can't fly anymore we are down a ship."_

"_I…I don't know…" Krystal said, unsure._

"_I'll tell you what," Fox said. "We have to go to Corneria to get the ship and Arwings fixed up, which will take a day or two at least. You can have that time to decide and if you're not interested, then we'll drop you off at Corneria. Of course either way you might need a new outfit."_

"_And why would I need a new outfit?" Krystal asked with a quizzical look._

"_Because most people on Corneria… dress a bit more."_

_Krystal looked down at her outfit. He did have a point, although she wouldn't call it "skimpy". "…Alright then, I'll think about it," she said. "But what about the others?"_

"_I'd have to ask them, but I don't see how they'd have a problem with it," Fox said. "Anyway… I guess it's about time I told you a little about myself…"  
_

* * *

As Krystal was entering the planet's atmosphere, she saw a flat clearing to land and landed her Arwing. The Cornerian transport then landed nearby momentarily to allow Sirius to get off before taking off again. "Alright, the base is to the north of here, and the enemy doesn't know we're here so let's get this operation over with," Savannah said. She then tossed Krystal two things, a machine gun and a pair of-

"Thermal goggles?" Krystal asked.

"In case we run into any dark spots," Savannah explained. "It's also got night vision as well. What about your ship?" Krystal answered by pushing a button on her wrist communicator and soon her Arwing disappeared completely. Savannah let out a small whistle. "Cloaking device; very handy." Krystal along with Sirius Squad made their way south.

"So here's a question, when exactly do ODST's actually drop out of the skies?" Krystal asked.

"In emergency situations," Savannah said. "Say if Corneria was under attack and needed assistance immediately, support can there a lot quicker with drop pods. Other thing is they're expensive as hell."

"Plus you need some good G-force training before you get into one," Nel chimed up. "Right Wedge?"

Wedge's eyes couldn't be seen but he was clearly glaring at Nel. "That was one time."

"Wedge barfed up his entire breakfast on his first try," Typhon said. "It was hilarious."

"Didn't you piss your pants?" Savannah asked. "Now _that_ was hilarious."

Typhon growled. "Yes ma'am, I did." Nel and Wedge both snickered.

They were getting in range of the mountains but there was forestry in their path. "This would be the ideal area for an ambush," Krystal said.

Savannah nodded. "Alright everyone, goggles on." Krystal slipped on her goggles and flipping the switch everything became a color of the rainbow, mostly reds and oranges from the heat of the sun. It took a few seconds to readjust but she let her telepathic waves guide her as well.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Ascendancy" from Halo 4.)

* * *

So far, there was nothing but silence as they slowly made their way through the small forest, but then- *"I'm picking up movement up ahead, closing this way," Nel said.

"Pirates?" Typhon asked.

"No, not the right shape but damn are they moving fast!"

"_Not them again…"_ Krystal thought.

"Crawlers!" Savannah yelled. Suddenly the area around was swarming with them, prompting them to open fire. They weren't immune to gunfire but Krystal knew what tactics the Cerinians used. She guessed correct as she spotted snipers in the trees. She aimed towards the trees, either hitting them or causing them to retreat.

Suddenly, she sensed one of them attacking from behind and barely pulled out her staff in time to block its attack. Using all the strength she had, she pushed the assassin back and used the backend of her staff to hit it in the face, stunning it temporarily. She then switched the opposite direction and the full blow of the staff crashed into the Cerinian's head, disabling it completely.

Corin proved to be the marksman he was mentioned as, using only a pistol to take out his enemies. Typhon quickly reloaded a full clip and fired a few more shots before shouting, "They're retreating! Do we pursue?"

"No," Savannah said. "They were merely testing us. Besides, they're not the ones we have to worry about at the moment."

"Okay, but why the hell are they still attacking us?" Wedge asked. "They can't possibly still be working with the pirates."

It was a good question, one that Krystal pondered. Were they still in league with the pirates, as before? If Tacitus truly was gone, he would no longer have any influence on them unless the effects were permanent. Either that or it questioned whether Tacitus was still alive or not. _"No, I saw him fall through warp space, there's no way he could have survived."_

"We need to keep moving," she then said. "The base isn't far now." Once they finally cleared the forest, their destination was in sight. The temple was based deep inside the mountains and therefore heavily fortified for battles that had raged hundreds of years ago. Now the area was surrounded by turrets. It was also going to be a long climb, making the operation even more difficult.

"Alright, we break here for the moment," Savannah said. "Krystal, Corin, you two head up and do some recon to see what exactly we're up against."

"By the way Krystal, if he doesn't say anything to you, it's nothing personal, he's just not much of a talker," Typhon said.

Krystal and Corin found a peak that offered a good view of the base above as well as cover to avoid being spotted. Krystal pulled out her electrobinoculars and scanned the area. The turrets were certainly active but there was light enemy activity along the hills. "Not too heavily guarded but one mishap and we'll have the whole force firing down on us and we're already at a disadvantage. Anything else on your end Corin?" There was only silence as she looked over and saw Corin peering through the scope of a sniper rifle. "Oh right…" She then radioed Savannah. "Savannah, the guns appeared to be lightly guarded but we may need some cover fire."

"_Got it Krystal,"_ Savannah said. _"Corin, you know what to do. Quickly and silently." _Corin responded by attaching a silencer to his gun.

Krystal then headed back to where the group while Savannah was laying out the ground plan. "Once we get up that hill, that's where we split off to avoid detection and go silent. We're going to plant charges on all four turrets as a backup plan in case plan A goes to shit. If we can shut down their entire grid, all they can do is piss themselves while Husky and Bulldog come down for a meet and greet."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part the song I'm using is "Push Through" from Halo 4.)

* * *

*"Alright ladies and gents, this is what you've been training for all your lives!" Savannah declared. "Corin's gonna give us cover fire so hit 'em hard and keep moving!"

They then made their slow ascent up the mountain, encountering enemies almost immediately. Corin took out the enemies on the watch towers while the others took care of the ones on the ground. Typhon fired a couple shots, taking out the first lookout. Once they reached the foot of the base, each of them split up to plant charges on the guns.

Typhon crouched low and made his way to the first gun, taking a demo charge and planting it on the structure before arming it. "Charge 1 armed."

Nel spotted another pirate, presumably on lookout, and quickly snuck up on him, performing CQC and snapping his neck. She then took out a charge and planted it on the second gun. "Charge 2 armed."

"_You know, for a major base it's not that heavily guarded…" _Typhon remarked.

Wedge made his way over to the third gun and planted the third charge. "Charge 3 armed."

While in cover, Krystal closed her eyes in thought. It was true, there didn't seem to be as many troops as they assumed. Most of them were inside the base at the moment, but why? She then went up to the fourth gun and planted the charge. "Charge 4 armed."

"It seems like everyone else is inside and that's where the power grid is," Savannah said. "Typhon and Nel, I'm leaving it to you two."

"Got it ma'am," Nel said as the two headed inside.

"This is just weird," Typhon said as the two of them switched to night vision due to the low lighting. "They have all this equipment and yet the entire base is understaffed. It's almost like they wanted us to come here."

"Don't be ridiculous Typhon," Nel said. "The pirates wouldn't go to all this trouble over nothing. But you do have a point, it is weird."

There was a room ahead and both got on either side of the door. "I count at least five," Typhon said. "Grid's in the back."

Nel then pulled out a flashbang. "Just like the simulators…" She then pulled off the pin and tossed it into the room. The sudden flash blinded all of those in the room and that was when Typhon and Nel opened fire, taking out the pirates in seconds. Once everything cleared, it was all quiet now. "Shutting down the power grid," Typhon said as he pushed some buttons on the control panel.

Nel then noticed something in the back. "What the hell…?" There was some sort of device that was flashing a deep blue. "Typhon… you have any idea what this is?"

Typhon went over to it. "No idea. It could be a bomb… but it's definitely not our technology."

"Typhon, Nel, all clear?" Savannah said, coming into the room. Krystal was accompanying her.

"Yeah, but you two might want a look at this," Nel said. "I've never seen such a thing before."

Krystal studied it. "It's definitely Cerinian, but I have no idea what it's for or what it does," she said.

"Alright, I'll contact Hill and have a bomb squad come down just in case," Savannah said. "This almost seemed like a waste of time in my opinion."

"Faulty intel… what else is new?" Typhon asked.

Savannah sighed. "Well, I'll radio for transport and we can get out of here. There's not much else we can do now."

As they went back outside, Krystal saw something glimmer in the air in the distance. She couldn't get a clear look at it but she could tell it had been a ship and it certainly wasn't a Cornerian fighter. "Actually… if you don't mind I'll catch up with you all later… there's just something I want to check out first."

"Well… okay," Savannah replied, looking puzzled. "I guess we'll see you in a couple hours."

Once the Cornerian transport came back and picked them up, Krystal went off towards where she was the ship. She could sense the ship had landed close nearby and pulled out her blaster. After a small trek through the woods again she came across a small clearing and found the ship. But what surprised her most was that she instantly recognized the ship as any member of Star Fox would. _"The Wolfen!"_Could it be possible someone from Star Wolf actually had survived, or is this just someone who may have stolen the ship?

She then pulled up her blaster and pointed it towards the ship. "Whoever's in there, come out with your hands up!"

The cockpit of the ship opened and a voice said, "Two seconds on this planet and I'm already being interrogated."

Krystal recognized the voice immediately as well as the figure that dropped out of the ship. "Wolf?"

"Huh, the newcomer, Krystal right?" Wolf asked. "Didn't expect to meet you here. Is Fox here as well?"

"No… just me," Krystal replied, lowering her weapon but not quite putting it away. "What are you doing here anyway and where's Leon and Panther?"

"I haven't heard anything from either of them since the Aparoid planet," Wolf replied. "As to why I'm here, I'm trying to figure out why my former group is so interested in this planet."

"So these are your men?" Krystal asked. "Because as far as I know they only seem interested in using this planet as a home base."

"They were, but it seems they're taking orders from someone new now," Wolf said, crossing his arms while leaning against his ship. "I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of being noticed, hence why I've been MIA for the last six months."

"It's too bad, Fox managed to convince everyone that all three of you were war heroes," Krystal said, rolling her eyes slightly.

Wolf chuckled. "Guess I can't say I'm surprised. The pup hasn't changed at all."

"So what exactly are you going to do now?" Krystal asked. "It seems we're both after the same answer."

"I guess so…" Wolf replied. "Are you offering a truce?" Whether he meant that as a joke or not Krystal wasn't sure.

"We're not exactly enemies, are we?" she replied. "If you don't want to help, then I'll gladly continue things on my own."

Wolf paused for a moment. "…Alright fine," he said. "Before I landed I picked up some radio chatter and pinpointed it to this area. The pirates are transporting a lot of troops in this area, which only means this is where their true main base is."

"So the intel we had was faulty," Krystal replied. "One other thing, if these pirates were part of your former gang, then where are they getting all this equipment?"

"Black market is my best guess," Wolf said. "Some of those ships are over ten years old so some of them probably have been salvaged as well. They couldn't compare to the newer models the Cornerians have but an entire fleet, well…"

"For right now let's see what they're up to and then we'll report back to the ship," Krystal said. "And you are going to come with me afterward."

Wolf grunted in response. "Yes ma'am…"

* * *

(A/N: I can tell everyone's gonna say "Star Wolf and Star Fox working together!? You're crazy!" I'm not, because some people obviously haven't played Assault. Anyway, I'm trying to match up Wolf's personality as best I can, so hopefully as the story continues on I'll try to do better. So hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys soon!)

FoxMcCloud7921


	4. Unlikely Allies

(A/N: Hey everyone, sorry I was gone for so long. I was busy last week so I pretty much took that week off. It was a rather eventful week you could say but of course there's something that's still been bugging me. After reading the highlights from E3 this year, I really hoped Retro Studios would be making a new Star Fox but despite everything they've said, they're once again doing a Donkey Kong game. Now you can see why I'm kind of miffed at that. But anyway, before I get into a long rant, let's get this chapter started but before that, the song I'm using here is "VS Corneria" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

Chapter 4: Unlikely Allies

_*Corneria City was under attack by an entire squadron of enemy ships. It was like witnessing the Lylat Wars eight years ago. Then, across the ocean two Arwings quickly made their way to aid the capital._

"_I'm picking up between twenty and thirty fighters," Krystal said, looking upon her radar._

"Alright Krystal, I got your wing, but don't get careless," _Fox replied as he formed up at her side._

_Krystal lined up her scope and charged up a laser shot. She immediately locked on to a target and released the trigger. The green ball of energy followed the enemy fighter and destroyed it immediately._

"Well that got their attention," _Fox stated. _"Enemy fighters are breaking off and headed in our direction. I'll take care of the ones on the left." _Fox broke off and fired his lasers, taking out about five ships._

_Krystal saw that the ships were crashing into the streets. "I'm going to get them away from the main buildings," she said as she performed a U-turn and headed back out into the ocean._

"Krystal if you crash-"

"_I'll be fine, just take care of the stragglers," Krystal said. Her radar picked up five bogies on her tail and closing fast. Laser fire started streaking across her nose and she performed a barrel roll to deflect the enemy fire. After that she did a 360 degree loop, catching them by surprise, and opened fire, taking out all five ships._

_Suddenly her ship rocked as lasers struck her from behind. There was nothing on the radar but something was behind her. Performing evasive maneuvers, she turned around but the 'ship' was still on her tail. "Fox, there's a ship on my tail but I can't see it!"_

_Another shot broke off her right wing and alarms went off in her ship. She had to eject but she wouldn't survive in the ocean. Her shield gauge had taken a beating and stood at only ten percent. She hit full thrusters trying to make it inland. Soon the ship revealed itself to be a Wolfen, as powerful and up to date as the Arwing._

_She made it back to land but the Wolfen was not letting her go as it fired another shot, depleting her shields down to two percent. She pulled the eject latch but it suddenly sparked. It was jammed. "You have got to be kidding me…" Krystal said, horrified._

_The final shot came and then everything went black. Soon the lights came back as the hatch to the simulator unit opened up and Fox stood there, smiling. "Well that was better," he said._

"_Better? I crashed my ship again," Krystal said, crossing her arms._

"_True, and I did warn you about throwing in a curveball," Fox said as he helped her out. "But I suppose I was being a bit unfair since Wolfens don't have cloaking devices."_

"_No, I certainly don't remember that," Krystal said. She looked back at him and her face softened. "You really think I'm still cut out for the team?"_

"_You've been improving week by week," Fox stated. "So yeah, I do."_

_A small smile crept on Krystal's face. "I really do appreciate you doing this for me Fox…"_

"_Oh it's… nothing really," Fox replied as he turned his head to the right slightly. "Well, since practice is over now, feel like going for a real flight down to Corneria? Flying can certainly build up an appetite."_

_Krystal giggled and nodded. "I would love that."  
_

* * *

As Krystal and Wolf made their way south from the mountains, she couldn't help but be surprised with Wolf's sense of tracking. Of course, he was a wolf after all but it only proved that he himself must have had military training in his younger days. That, and the six-shot revolver he carried with him as well. No doubt he's as much of a gunslinger as Fox is.

"So what exactly will you do when this is all over?" Krystal asked. "After all, you said this is your former crew."

"Maybe I'll give them a chance to see the errors of their ways and have them come back," Wolf replied. "But if not I can always just leave them behind. Depends on whether they shoot at me or not."

"I'll make sure to stay out of your way if they do," Krystal said as she checked her radar again. "Wait a minute… you have the exact coordinates to the base?"

"I managed to pick up where the radio signal was coming from," Wolf replied. "Why?"

"But that leads…" Adrenaline suddenly surged through her veins as she ran forward through the trees and bushes. When she finally reached the cliff ahead she stopped, her fears now realized. The city that had been her home, the palace that she had lived in all those years ago; all of it now was almost unrecognizable to her. Throughout the city there were turrets, anti-aircraft missiles on all four corners and large artillery guns covering parts of the palace itself. It no longer reminded Krystal of home at all.

Once Wolf caught up and saw the scene before him, he couldn't help but whistle slightly. "That's a large base…" He looked over and saw Krystal's state of shock, knowing something was wrong. "…You alright?"

Krystal sighed deeply and closed her eyes. "No, I'm really not. It was bad enough they would vandalize the temples… but this… this is unforgivable. It spits in the face of the hundreds of year of peace and harmony we've managed to keep."

Now it finally made sense to Wolf. This was her home; this was why there were no others like her, because they were gone. "I'm sorry Krystal… I had no idea."

Krystal then took out her electrobinoculars. "The palace is the most heavily defended, but there's no way we could launch an airstrike with those missiles. A small force could possibly break through though." Even Krystal was surprised at her own words; she was already accepting what has happened but the thought of destroying what was left of her home ate at her heart slowly. War was not something she grew up with, but as of lately, it was not unfamiliar to her.

Wolf couldn't help but admire her resolve. She wasn't like most who would break down when everything seemed to fall apart. Now he knew why Fox admired her so much. "There's not much else we can do here, we have to head back."

Krystal nodded but as they returned to their ships, the dark thoughts kept swimming through her mind. These pirates, whoever they were, would pay for defacing her home.

* * *

The events that took place next left some confused and wondering exactly what was going on. Once Krystal and Wolf left orbit and headed towards the _Hornet_, the ship had picked up the Wolfen and a panic quickly went through the ship. Krystal had to explain quickly to Hill and the others before Cornerian escorts would attempt to blast Wolf out of the sky that Wolf was _not _working with the pirates and instead with her. After about five minutes of silence, Hill allowed Wolf to board the ship; however as soon as he landed he was then "escorted" by armed guards to one of the interrogation rooms despite Krystal's protests.

"I really do think arresting him was a tad bit overkill," Krystal argued. She and Savannah were currently in Hill's office.

"Look, I understand what he did to help stop the Aparoid Invasion," Hill replied. "But I also know what he's done in the past before that. If I had Wolf O'Donnell running around my ship and if Command found out, they'd be here quicker than you can say Milk Bone and he'd be in a maximum security prison within the day. That being said, it won't happen but I have my orders just like everyone else."

"So what _will _you do then?" Krystal asked.

"Just ask some questions, any information he can provide," Hill said. He saw the look on Krystal's face and sighed. "Look, as long as he doesn't cause any trouble maybe I'll release him from incarceration."

"If I may sir, I'll be willing to question him," Savannah stated.

"You're sure?" Hill asked.

"Trust me; I know how to handle these guys…" Savannah said with a mischievous grin.

* * *

"Oh this is gonna be good," Typhon said as he, Nel, and Wedge were sitting in the other room looking through the one-view mirror as Wolf and Savannah were in the interrogation room.

"So who do you think is going to get to whom first?" Wedge asked. "It's hard to bet against the corporal."

"True, but this is Wolf O'Donnell we're talking about," Typhon said. "I'm just ready for the show."

"Ugh, you two are ridiculous sometimes," Nel muttered.

Meanwhile Savannah was looking through her files, keeping her eyes off of Wolf. "So O'Donnell, let's start back a bit. You've been missing for about six months. No activity, no communications to anyone. Why were you hiding?"

"Last time I checked, I assumed I still had a bounty on my head," Wolf replied casually.

"True, but due to your actions in the Aparoid Invasion, we were willing to pardon you and take the bounty off," Savannah said. "But I get it, you're not one for glory and recognition. You just care about the payoff in the end right?"

"I see you're not a huge fan of mercenary groups," Wolf said.

"No, but there are some exceptions," Savannah replied, crossing her arms. "But that's not why we're here. We need to know whatever information you can provide about this "group" you used to be associated with."

Wolf knew he could toy with this officer as much as he pleased, but the result would have probably been a detention facility, which he had been able to avoid for so many years, and he still had a reputation to hold onto. "My guess is either they're getting their supplies from an unknown seller or the black market. As for the financial part, I can't really say. Perhaps someone is hell bent on controlling this planet."

"And where are your comrades?" Savannah asked. "We haven't heard anything from Leon Powalski or Panther Caroso."

Wolf shrugged. "If they're not dead, they may be in hiding as well. Things are changing."

"_So I've noticed…"_ Savannah thought. "So until we get this crisis settled, I've been told to ask of your assistance into this matter. If you do, perhaps you can get your past crimes expunged."

Wolf couldn't help but chuckle. "Things are that desperate huh? As long as I get to keep my ship I suppose I don't have much of a choice."

"Good, because you really don't," Savannah said as she stood up and then undid his handcuffs. "Just don't cause any trouble on the ship and things will go smoothly."

"Wow…" Wedge said in the other room.

"Well, so much for the show," Typhon said as he got up. "Well, time to catch up on some R&R."

"Does your definition of R&R include certain mature web sites?" Nel asked with a smirk.

Wedge burst out laughing. "You were on my computer!?" Typhon almost yelled.

* * *

"So has anyone been able to figure out what the device we found is?" Krystal asked as she and Hill made their way down to the R&D lab.

"That's what we're about to find out," Hill replied. As the doors to the lab opened, they saw one of the scientists, a Tabby with black glasses, examining his computer which was connected via wires to the Cerinian device.

"Krystal, this is Dr. Stockman, head of the R&D lab on the ship," Hill said as the two greeted each other. "Doctor, have you found anything yet?"

"Well, it may not look it but this thing is giving off a lot of power, like a lot," Stockman said. "In fact-"

Suddenly the power on the entire ship turned off, leaving it as a lifeless hulk of metal. However, the power turned back on just as quickly. "Let me guess, that thing did it?" Hill asked, not amused by this.

"Well that was more than it did half an hour ago," Stockman replied. "Don't worry it's not a threat to the ship. In fact, it's actually helping the ship. The device somehow has integrated with our systems and it's communicating."

"Communicating?" Krystal asked.

"I'm not sure what exactly, but our systems are running almost twice as fast," Stockman replied. "It's incredible: Cerinian technology integrating with our own. Who knows what potentials it has?"

"_That sounds exactly like what our enemies want," _Krystal thought.

"As long as it doesn't cause any problems, I suppose we don't have to worry about it," Hill said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to retain order before everyone in the ship goes into a panic."

After he left, Krystal studied both the device and the data it was generating. "Are you absolutely sure this is safe? Even I'm not familiar with this technology…"

"I assure you ma'am, we did a thorough test before hooking anything up," Stockman reassured her. "I still can't say for sure what it does, but this is something very valuable to have."

"Alright," Krystal replied. "But if there's anything you need, any deciphering or the like, don't hesitate to call."

Stockman nodded as she left and then took a swig of his afternoon coffee. Most of what he saw on screen was numbers and letters. Most wouldn't understand it, but he knew the device was communicating with the ship's core and vice versa. However, a new notification window came up, saying the device was now communicating with something else, something that was transmitting from the planet. He looked over and saw that the device was flashing slightly. He got out of his seat and went up to it, eyeing it closely. "What is…?"

Suddenly, the device lit up and flashed twice and suddenly Stockman felt like his body was being broken down and looking down, he saw that was actually happening. Before he could give a cry for help, his entire being had broken down and was absorbed into the device.

* * *

(A/N: Oh, I love a good cliffhanger, don't you guys? I realize there wasn't a whole lot going on in this chapter but I promise more action will soon, just be patient. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I will see you guys later. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to my regular schedule of posting chapters.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	5. Sparring

Chapter 5: Sparring

The last time Krystal was on the _Hornet_, she didn't get to explore the entire ship as fully as she wanted. As she continued her tour, it didn't take her long to find the gym. As she looked inside, she did happen to find one person working out at the moment.

Typhon was busy doing chin-ups next to the sparring mat. Krystal couldn't tell how many he was doing but it didn't seem like he was stopping anytime soon. He caught her out of the corner of his eye and said simply, "Hey Krystal, how are things with our new guest?"

"What you would expect from Wolf O'Donnell," Krystal replied, watching him. "But he's willing to cooperate at least."

"Good," Typhon said as he continued. "The last thing I want to do is tango with the leader of Star Wolf. I mean Fox is one thing but Wolf… well…"

A playful smirk appeared on Krystal's face. "I'm sure Fox would love hearing this."

"No doubt he would." Typhon soon jumped down and cracked his neck slightly. "So… think you can talk and dance at the same time?"

"Is that a challenge Private?" Krystal said amusedly.

Typhon grinned. "Sure, if you can handle running around in those heels."

"Oh, now you're dissing my shoes," Krystal said. "Now I definitely can't back down." She quickly got into a fighting stance. "Just don't think about going easy on me. I didn't learn my skills from some academy." She didn't give him the opportunity to strike first as she quickly lobbed some punches at him. She wasn't actually trying to him, nor him her, but any small jab to the chin or face would let him know quickly she was to be taken seriously.

"Heh, you remind me of my old CO," Typhon said, taking some shots that Krystal managed to block easily. "Rather soft-spoken, but he showed his real talents on the battlefield. Unfortunately, he didn't survive the war against the Aparoids."

Krystal pulled back. "I'm sorry, that must've been hard for you."

"It was," Typhon said. All of a sudden his punches and lunges were coming more frequently and somewhat violently. "We were on Katina when the Aparoids attacked. We were pinned down without communications but my CO decides on a counterattack: find the main source of the Aparoids and attack, hopefully making them retreat. So we attacked, but it wasn't long before he was killed by a mortar round, meaning now _I _was in charge of my squad. I decided to press on, no retreat. We found they were surrounding a large depot of weapons and ammunition. Instead of taking them head on, I set the entire thing off, taking out maybe hundreds of their units. However, we soon found out the Aparoids wanted us to attack, for it left the citizens we left behind defenseless and once we returned, it was too late. To make it even worse, we find out there was no point in attacking because you guys already invaded their home planet and destroyed it."

"You can't blame yourself Typhon," Krystal said. "You did what you thought was the right thing."

"Maybe I did," Typhon said. "It just pisses me off how everything revolves around war. It only takes a year or two before another conflict erupts. At this point I'm no longer starting to give a fuck about fighting over nothing!"

His anger showed in his aggressiveness as he dropped his guard and attacked head on. Krystal was able to dodge while grabbing him and slamming him to the ground, stunning him. "You're not the only one who's dealt with the horrors of war," she said sternly. "You should be thankful for what you still have, and never take it for granted. Be proud of what you're fighting for."

She then helped him to his feet and she could see he quickly calmed down. "I suppose you're right. Sorry about that, talking about that stuff tends to get my blood boiling." He then smirked. "Nice moves by the way."

Krystal smiled as she took a seat on one of the benches. "If you don't mind Private, I was hoping to get to know you and your squad better."

"Fair enough, I suppose you've earned that much," Typhon replied, sitting down and catching his breath. "Joined the military when I was eighteen, shortly after the Lylat War. For the past couple of years I've been stationed on Katina before joining Sirius Squad. And the rest is self-explanatory."

"What about the others?" Krystal asked.

"Nel; well her actual name is Ellen but she prefers to go by Nel; I met her after joining the Academy. Her father was an Admiral and her mother was a nurse. Her father died during the Battle of Sector Y after his ship was blown up by Venomian forces. Her mother was on Corneria when the Aparoids attacked so… it's been rather rough for her."

"How does she handle it?" Krystal asked.

"Oh, she's a tough girl," Typhon said with a chuckle. "She's not the type to mope about things. After all, she grew up in a military family. No, she's alright, despite the banter between us constantly."

"Oh? Is there something there?" Krystal said with a slight chuckle.

"W-No, no there isn't!" Typhon quickly said. "Why would- very funny ma'am but I assure there isn't anything between us." Krystal could see bullshit when it came. "Anyway, then there's Wedge who actually transferred from Zoness. It's actually quite nice there now that they cleaned up all the pollution. As for Corin, well, he doesn't say much. He takes his role seriously, maybe too seriously. Wedge tells me he sleeps with a pistol under his pillow and a knife next to his bed. I don't think it's true but I wouldn't be surprised."

"_Hey Krystal, do you copy?"_

Krystal recognized the voice immediately. "Bill? What is it?"

"_We're needed on the bridge, new developments have come up."_

"I'm on my way," Krystal replied. She then looked to Typhon. "Sorry I have to leave like this."

"Not at all," Typhon said. "Always a pleasure getting my ass handed to by a lady."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part the song I'm using "Briefing (Part 2)" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

*Everyone, including Wolf, huddled around the holographic screen which depicted what was now Cerinian City. "After gathering the data Krystal sent us," Hill explained. "We've been able to paint a picture of the current scenario. The entire city is armed to the teeth and it looks like they're prepared for anything we may throw at them."

"Are those… orbital cannons?" Bill asked.

"Unfortunately yes," Hill said. "With two them, it would take probably ten shots at most to take out a destroyer. The one good thing is that they're in a vulnerable position so an airstrike could work."

"But look at all that artillery fire," Savannah said. "Even if we managed a landing force, they'd easily be blown to bits."

Bill chuckled. "Just give me a call and I'll clear the road for ya."

Savannah blushed slightly. "That's… rather thoughtful of you Commander but you wouldn't last five seconds before being shot down."

"You could always launch a naval strike," Wolf chimed in. "Wouldn't cost any lives."

"That is out of the question!" Krystal snapped. "You cannot just-"

"While that may be the obvious choice, I'm not willing to turn this into a slaughterhouse," Hill stated, nodding at Krystal. He paused and shifted the map. "If we land our forces just outside their range, we could take them by surprise, but once again the artillery poses a big threat."

"Actually sir, I just had an idea," Savannah said. "We could reprogram those turrets from the base in the mountains and use it as support."

"With their turrets down, Bulldog and Husky can handle cleanup duty," Bill added.

"Excellent idea, I'll send a team there immediately," Hill said. "Now, if there's anything else-"

"Captain, we're getting a hail, unknown origin," one of the crewmates said.

"That's no Cornerian signal… alright, on screen," Hill replied.

The main screen flickered on and soon were face to face with an ape in standard military uniform. "Ah, Captain Hill of the _Hornet_; a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I am General Brynhilde, leader of the forces you are probably now familiar with." No one else had noticed but the name and appearance of the ape ringed familiar to Wolf as his eyes narrowed.

"General huh?" Hill said. "Sorry, not quite familiar with the name."

"No, I didn't think you would," Brynhilde said. "However, I do hope you understand why I am making this call in the first place."

"To hopefully announce your surrender and leave this planet for good?" Hill replied.

"Hardly. You and I both know we don't want any incidents coming out of this, I only wish to make a proposal."

"You're right General, I would want to do this peacefully, so for now I will hear this proposal," Hill said as he sat back in his chair.

"It's quite simple," Brynhilde said. "The reason we are on this planet in the first place is because of Cerinia's untapped resources. Considering the planet no longer has any government or affiliation, I don't see the issue being addressed here."

"It's still stealing and you know it," Krystal said heatedly.

"Ah yes, the sole surviving Cerinian," Brynhilde said with a chuckle. "I understand the wounds are deep, but realize you have no say in this."

"She still has a point," Hill added. "Whether or not the planet belongs to anyone, you do not have the right to freely take as you please. So I'm sorry General, but I can't allow your operations to continue."

"A pity then," Brynhilde said with fake remorse. "Just realize if you do interfere, drastic actions will be taken. Even if you do call in your fleet, it will take time whereas my fleet is on standby. Your ships, as advanced as they are, won't last."

"We'll take our chances," Hill said defiantly.

"Stubborn as always," Brynhilde said. He then redirected his attention. "So Wolf, I see you can even defy death. We were sad about your supposed passing but I had to take matters into my own hands."

"You've been busy it seems, Elias," Wolf replied coolly. "Didn't realize you would all go so low as to pillaging planets. So much for honor among thieves."

"You wouldn't understand," Brynhilde said, shaking his head slightly. "After the Aparoid War, we were left in shambles. I, being your right-hand man, had to put everything back together. Now I have a fleet, a militia of my own. We no longer need Star Wolf." He paused for a moment. "Now then, I would love to keep chatting with you all but I am needed elsewhere. Perhaps we will all meet again, whether or not that will include exchanging laser fire." The transmission then ended.

"Lovely chap," Savannah said softly. She then looked at Wolf. "You sure know how to pick them."

"What he says is not of importance," Hill said. "Whether or not we do attack doesn't matter anymore. If he wants a fight, then we're all willing to give him one."

"So you know this guy?" Bill asked, looking at Wolf.

Wolf stared back at him. "I did, or at least I thought I did. He was part of the Venomian forces during the Lylat Wars. After that, he was on the run to avoid war crimes and managed to convince me to let him join our group. Didn't even realize he would be the one behind all this."

"Funny, considering you two seemed to _know each other so well_," Bill goaded.

"That's enough you two," Hill said sternly. "Lieutenant Axelrod, I want you to inform the other ships what has just happened and begin preparations for an attack. Something big is going on down there and whatever it is can't be good for Corneria or the Lylat System."

Suddenly one of the main doors opened and one of the scientists came onto the bridge. "Captain, we have a huge problem."

"What is it?" Hill asked.

"It's Dr. Stockman sir. He's vanished completely."

* * *

"You knew they weren't going to go with your plan."

Brynhilde sat back in his chair, looking rather content regardless. "I did, but it never hurts trying does it? Tell the crew to prepare for an incoming attack, and have my personal shuttle fired up to go planet side."

The General's second-in-command seemed troubled. "Sir, how do we know this thing we found will even work. Even our best minds are stumped by it."

"It seems it will only react to those of Cerinian nature," Brynhilde said with a smile. "In that case, we'll just have to get one for ourselves…"

* * *

(A/N: I won't lie; I'm not entirely satisfied with the name of chapter. Actually, I'm not satisfied at all but I couldn't come close to anything better so what you see is what you get! I'd also like to remind people that this story is not going to be very long and I intended for that to happen as this is more of a sub-story compared to what I have planned next. With that being said, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys later.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	6. Act of War

Chapter 6: Act of War

A shuttle soon departed from Brynhilde's warship. After entering the atmosphere, the shuttle soon landed on a pad next to the palace. As the General exited his ship, a fellow ape was there to greet him. "General, this is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence."

"You may dispense with the pleasantries Commander," Brynhilde said calmly. "I am here to put you back on schedule."

"I assure you sir my men are working as best they can," the commander replied.

"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them," Brynhilde said.

"Our newest guest is currently analyzing… whatever the thing is." The Commander obviously wasn't comfortable with whatever they were working on.

"Good, then I shall review his progress," Brynhilde said as he entered the palace.

* * *

In what would be considered the palace depths, a large cloud-shaped conduit was being worked by many of the pirates, and also a familiar face.

"Hey doctor!" one of the pirates snapped. "You're supposed to be the smart guy around here. Why isn't this damn thing working?"

Stockman poked his head from behind the conduit. "I'm a scientist, not a technician. Seriously, the intelligence of-" All of a sudden he heard a gun being cocked and guessed it was being pointed at his head. "…On second thought, I'll just keep my opinions… personal."

"That would be a wise choice Dr. Stockman." The feline turned and saw yet another ape, but considering he was wearing full military attire, he could guess this was their leader. "I'm hoping you can bring me up to speed."

"Uh… right," The doctor said, adjusting his glasses. "I've connected and reconnected everything so this… whatever it is working but it's not responding to any of your tech." He stared at his tablet curtly. "Of course if I had my equipment…"

"It would make no difference," Brynhilde replied. "Because this is, after all, Cerinian technology."

"Oh… right," Stockman said. "…What is this thing exactly?"

The General saw no reason not to tell him. "This, my friend, is the key to our success. It holds the secret to the most advanced technology of our lifetime. As old as it is, it is greater than anything Corneria could possibly hope for. And with that kind of technology, we'd no longer be seen as pirates, but the greatest and most powerful army in all of the Lylat System! And I will be able to achieve something that not even the mighty Andross could: entire domination of the Lylat System. But even as we've hit a slight bump, I know the perfect solution. For now, carry on doctor."

As soon as the general left, Dr. James Stockman let out a groan. _"Psychotic military genii, it always has to be psychotic military genii…"  
_

* * *

As soon as Dr. Stockman's disappearance was found out, the lab was closed off and only certain people were allowed to enter. After doing a thorough scan of the room, Wedge said, "Nothing out of the ordinary here ma'am. It's almost as if no one was ever in here."

"Hm," Savannah replied. "From what the other scientists said, Stockman was here earlier and they never saw him leave. One of the scientists came in and noticed he was gone but he was nowhere to be found."

Hill looked troubled as his eyes kept returning to the Cerinian device. "What are your thoughts?" he asked, turning towards Krystal.

The blue vixen noticed what the captain had been staring at. "I can't say for sure but… you remember the device that Tacitus' ship carried?"

"Yeah, that abomination of a weapon took out an entire district on Corneria," Hill replied. "You think the same thing happened to Stockman?"

"I can only hope I'm wrong," Krystal replied.

"Well considering this thing already shut down the entire ship plus possibly vaporizing a scientist, I'm about ready to chuck it out of the air-lock," Savannah growled.

"Before we make any decisions, this entire lab will be quarantined and locked to all personnel," Hill decided. "But if it does come down to it, yes Corporal, you can chuck the damn thing out the air-lock."

* * *

The one thing Krystal remembered having getting used to was sleeping on a ship. When in space, it was always dark outside, unless you just happened to be passing nearby Sol. Due to recent events, she had lost track of time and was now sitting in one of the barracks, trying to get in a small nap if she could. She then heard the door open but didn't bother looking up.

"So I hear we have a ticking time bomb on the ship." Krystal looked up and saw Wolf leaning against the doorway.

Krystal sighed and sat up. "It's not a laughing matter Wolf. A similar device killed hundreds of Cornerians… and my entire race."

"It's that serious?" Wolf asked. "Well… can't let anyone else get their hands on it then."

Krystal was ready to ask him to leave but she paused. "Wolf… when you were employed by Andross, did he ever tell you what his plans were, any of them?"

Wolf raised an eyebrow at this. "No… damn ape was so paranoid there were secrets he never told his own generals. All he asked was for us to get rid of Star Fox." He then realized one, he had never explained about his past missions and two, he had to be careful how he worded his sentences so that this vixen wouldn't be tempted to shoot him. "…How is the pup anyway? You two finally dating?"

Krystal's mouth went dry upon hearing. "W-Wait how did you know that?" she asked, blushing.

"I didn't," Wolf smirked.

Krystal shook her head slightly. "He's fine. He's told me plenty of stories about you, how he took you down twice."

"…Eh, I got careless," Wolf said. "I clearly underestimated him."

"And he did mention about Andross employing you," Krystal continued. "You were okay with a maniac taking over the galaxy?"

Wolf let out a deep sigh. "You and I both know as mercenaries it doesn't matter what side we like as long as we're paid. The only difference between us is that I'm willing to do whatever I'm employed for, even if I don't enjoy it. And trust me, there have been plenty of sleepless nights."

"But I've seen the other side of you," Krystal said. "You can always help us take care of what needs to be done."

"I don't think that's possible," Wolf said. "Other than the fact a court could easily sentence us for having some involvement in this whole tirade, we're not all good citizens. Leon, to put it mildly, is a sick bastard and Panther, well, he may not seem the killing type but I know he has a past, and it's not a good one. All in all, we're not really well-suited for 'helping' others."

Krystal scoffed and laid back down. "So it's just going to be like old times, isn't it?"

Before Wolf replied, an alarm rang off throughout the entire ship. "What the hell is that?"

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using here is "Gravity" from Halo 4.)

* * *

Two of the soldiers who were patrolling the ship heard the alarm and went to the source. "Something tripped the sensor alarm, coming from the… lab," one of them said.

"But the entire lab has been sectioned off," the other said. *"What the hell…?" Suddenly the lab doors in front of them exploded, knocking them back about five feet. As the smoke cleared, figures quickly made their way out. Cerinian figures to be more exact.

"We're under attack!" the one soldier managed to radio in before he was shot in the head. The attack spread quickly throughout the ship as the Cornerians, caught off guard, grabbed their weapons to hold off the enemy.

Typhon, who had been in his room, picked up a rifle from one of the fallen soldiers and took out three enemies that had come around the corner. "Nel, Wedge, Corin, do any of you read?"

"_Copy Typhon, I'm pinned down near the engine room," _Nel replied.

"_Wedge here, with Corin," _Wedge replied. _"A group of us are near the turret control room but we're pushing them back."_

"Right, we're going to rendezvous to the main bridge," Typhon ordered. "Nel, hang on, I'm coming to get you." He was not far from the engine room itself but his pathway was blocked by fire and debris, meaning he had to go the long way. Hearing the gunfire nearby told him they were at least putting up a fight, but why where _they _here, and why were they attacking?

He took the stairway down to the bottom floor where the engines were located. He then spotted three enemies near one of the doors, probably where Nel holed herself up. They hadn't noticed him yet, more to his advantage.

He then pulled out his combat knife and once he was close enough, he stabbed the Cerinian in the neck and twisted while firing at the other two. All three fell dead instantly. _"Huh, didn't think that would actually work," _Typhon thought as he pulled out his knife and put it away. "Nel, you in there?"

The door then opened as Nel looked. "Well, you've been busy," she said. "I managed to lock myself behind there but they were about ready to hack the door open."

"Just like the simulations huh?" Typhon asked. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Nel said. "Took a bit of a nasty blunt to the head before but I'm alright."

"Let's get moving then," Typhon said. "Keep your wits about you, I'm not always going to be able to save you, you know."

"I'll keep that in mind," Nel muttered.

* * *

The chaos was much the same where Krystal and Wolf were. "Wolf, I sense there are injured on this floor. You tend to them while I clear a path to the bridge." Wolf didn't argue and instead nodded as he went ahead. She sensed most of the crew was making a stand there, but that was where most of the Cerinians were as well.

She then sensed one of them coming her way and pulled out her blaster just as it appeared before a hole was blasted into its chest plate. Perhaps it was the loss of one of their own, or maybe they sensed her probing their thoughts, for the group suddenly broke off and headed in _her_ direction.

She wasn't able to sense what would happen next. An explosion next to her went off, sending her flying and crashing into the railing hard. She could tell she hit her head pretty hard for her vision went dizzy almost immediately. There was no doubt now she had a minor concussion at least. Her view was clouded and dizzy but she could see her blaster in front of her. She tried to get up but the pain made her stumble and she had to crawl to get it. Even as she picked it up, it felt foreign to her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the group of Cerinians had shown up. She tried to aim and she managed to pull off a shot but it missed horribly. She had to get out of there, but she was trapped. Now they were going to kill her for sure.

But they didn't. Two of them grabbed her by her arms and dragged her down the hall. "What…what are you doing?" she managed to say. "What do you want from me?" The pain in her head was getting worse, and she was about to lose consciousness. She tried to yell; hopefully someone would get to her in time.

Before she did pass out, she saw she was being dragged back into the lab where the device was. Now it all made sense. Brynhilde wanted this device found and put on the ship. What better way to ambush a ship than to sneak in unnoticed. _"Please…someone…before it's too late…"_ Krystal's vision finally turned to black as the Cerinians, all of them, retreated from the ship back to the planet.

* * *

(A/N: So I wanted to finish this before the holiday break as let's say a Fourth of July gift. If that makes sense. I know you're all gonna ask why Krystal is the damsel again and all I can say is it's too damn easy to do. Plus it's the way I planned it. Don't worry though, she won't be damsel for as long as last time and she will play her part at the end as usual. So hopefully you all enjoyed the chapter and I wish you all a Happy Fourth!)

FoxMcCloud7921


	7. Reunion

(A/N: For this beginning part, the song I'm using is "Lasky's Theme" from Halo 4.)

* * *

Chapter 7: Reunion

*Morale was at an all-time low on the _Hornet. _They had lost about twenty men from the recent attack and now one of their own had been captured. Hill was currently in his office, a glass of Scotch in his hand. He rarely drank, especially on duty but this was one of those times where he really needed a drink. He then sighed deeply. "I never should have brought her here. It was what they wanted all along and I didn't even think about it." He then looked up at Lieutenant Axelrod. "David, you remember when we were first assigned to this ship, almost six months ago?"

"How could I forget?" Axelrod replied. "We were told this would be the new beginning of the Cornerian Fleet, and the _Hornet _would be the tip of the spear. It was a proud moment for all of us."

Hill nodded and finished off the rest of his Scotch. "To be honest, I didn't think I was ready to be promoted to Captain. I still don't know if I am but… it's where I am now." He then looked down to a photo of his wife and child. "After last month, I was going to take a full month off and spend it with my family. Of course when this all came up it never happened. You think this conflict will ever end?"

"That's up to you sir," Axelrod stated. "Given the current circumstances, I think it's time we call in the rest of the fleet and make preparations."

"And no time to waste," Captain Richard Hill said, getting up. Before he made the call, one last thing had to be done. He then hit a button on his desk which connected to the PA system. He was now broadcasting to the entire ship as well as the _Vindicator _and _Impeccable._

"To all crew and ships, this is Captain Hill. I won't lie to you all, we were caught off guard, and we lost some fine men and women in uniform. I will take the blame for their deaths but what needs to be done now is this: we must realize these pirates are a true threat to our society and what they seek on Cerinia is something beyond any of our imaginations. One of our own, the last of her kind, was kidnapped and is most likely being used to find theses secrets. Therefore it is of most importance that we get her back alive while also ending this threat for good. In less than an hour, we will attack with everything we have. Whether they surrender or fight to the death is their decision but we _will _not back down and we _will _be victorious. I know all of you, and I know you will not let me down. Good luck to you all and Godspeed." Hill then cut off the transmission and looked at Axelrod. "How was that?"

"Good as ever Captain," Axelrod said with a smile.

Hill nodded. "Let's get to work."

Hill's words had an effect on the ship and her crew and the atmosphere suddenly became frantic as all ships mobilized. The rest of the Cornerian Fleet would soon be on its way but until then it was up to them. Transport ships were loaded with troops and artillery while the pilots began to fire up their ships.

The only one who seemed rather calm was Wolf. He had other plans as he made his way down to the lab. It was funny really, while he had a grudging respect for Fox, he never thought much about the rest of his crew. Lombardi talked too much, the frog was annoying at times, and Hare, who he knew through Pigma, was probably another he could respect, as he had been a veteran pilot. But the vixen… she certainly added a mix to the formula and there was something about her that you didn't want to mess with. He could probably best her when it came to flying but one-on-one fighting… he wasn't so sure.

Most of the debris had been cleared up in the short amount of time but the Cerinian device was still present, much to his relief. He paused for a moment, staring at it. Teleportation was still something that even Cornerian scientists were trying to perfect, and the risks were pretty high. But Wolf O'Donnell always took risks, and preferred them, as it was his style.

He only had his dual revolvers with him but that was alright, he had a feeling it was all he was going to need. _"I've taken some pretty big risks but this…"_ He cleared his head and put a hand on the device.

It didn't take long for the device to react, almost as if it knew what he wanted. He closed his eyes as he felt the sensation like being sucked into a vacuum.

* * *

Krystal's head felt as if she had been hit with a sledgehammer as she slowly crept back into consciousness. Her vision was still cloudy but it was starting to come back to her. Then she realized she was strapped down and had nodes strapped to her head. _"I'm really starting to get sick of this damsel business…"_

"Ah, so you're finally awake." Krystal looked to where the voice was coming from but only saw a large blurred mass. She already knew who it was.

"So we finally meet General," she said calmly.

"Indeed," Brynhilde replied. "I apologize for the… forceful intrusion and kidnapping but I knew you wouldn't have come so willingly."

"You made a huge mistake," Krystal replied. "The Cornerian Fleet will be called in and you won't have a chance of escaping."

"Oh I will escape," Brynhilde replied. "And even if they do come, they'll be distracted long enough. I'm sure you recognize where you are: the palace depths. We found something of large importance. Even though we do not know what it is, we do know it reacts to only those of Cerinian blood. Yes, I've done my research on your planet, dear Krystal and I know this planet contains secrets that can change the galaxy completely. And I _will _have them."

"I've already had enough dealings with evil Generals," Krystal said. "But if you know us so well, then you also know I won't tell you a damn thing of what I know, even if you have to end up killing me."

Brynhilde grinned and chuckled. "Your words are admirable, but you are mistaken. This is not for getting answers out of you. No, I only need you for one purpose. This is for more… personal reasons. But if you're willing to challenge how strong-willed you are, I cannot refuse." He then turned to another ape in the room and nodded.

The ape was the one in charge of the machine and soon as he set the charge and pressed the button, an electric shock went through Krystal's body at once. Nothing she had ever experienced could compare to the pain as her entire body locked up and started shaking slightly. Luckily it only lasted a few moments and she could feel spasms rocking through her body.

"I promise you, it will be worse the next time," Brynhilde said.

"You're a sick bastard…" Krystal growled through gritted teeth.

"Am I?" Brynhilde asked. "Perhaps… Honestly, I would've enjoyed this more if it was actually Fox McCloud in your place but… I have to make due. You see, my title is an actual rank. I was in charge of the Venomian Defense Force nine years ago during the Lylat Wars. I was part of the largest fleet of all time. And yet, all it took was four ships and a Dreadnaught-class warship to completely obliterate it. Your team was responsible for the deaths of thousands, and yet they did not care. I served with honorable men who were willing to defend a dream that Andross had, even if it was a false one. I was able to escape from that disaster but it was already too late. After being on the run, being charged with war crimes, I managed to get in contact with Wolf O'Donnell and his team. He took me in, along with hundreds of other surviving members of what had been the Venomian Army, becoming his personal second-in-command. It wasn't the same as being in the navy, but it was all I had left.

"And that was when Andrew Oikonny came along. The fool. Brilliant strategist that he was, he did the same thing as his uncle: he did not think twice about Star Fox's capabilities and that was his ultimate downfall. I knew it from the start, which was why I never joined him, despite his pleas."

"So this is all just for revenge?" Krystal said with disgust.

"Partially, but I have other things on my agenda," Brynhilde replied. "And just know this my blue-furred vixen: you are only valuable to a certain point and then I'll have no other use for you. So perhaps it may be wise to be more cooperative with me. I only need you alive, so I don't care whether you end up brain dead or not."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Traffic Jam" from Halo 3 ODST.)

* * *

"As always, we're the tip of the spear," Wedge commented. Sirius Squad was already geared up in the ship's pod room and ready to launch to the planet directly.

"It has been awhile since the last time we've dropped," Nel said as she inspected her rifle. She then noticed Typhon was sitting on the railing in thought. "Hey, snap out of it will ya? We're about to drop into a hot zone."

Typhon glanced up at her. "Yeah, I'm aware of that."

Nel sighed. "Look, we'll get her back I promise. No need to be worried about her."

"I'm not-" He was then cut off as the doors opened and Corporal Savannah entered.

"Alright, I've just been told we launch in three," she said. "Let's get strapped in and hope to the powers above they don't shoot us off target."

"Is it as bad as they say down there?" Typhon asked.

Savannah paused and looked at him. "Yeah, it's that bad."

*It wasn't long before all five of them were strapped into their pods, weapons to their right. It was the first time in a long time they dropped from orbit but as they knew, a number of things could go wrong and probably would. They were merely seconds from launch and all they could do was wait.

"_Before we find ourselves in that gigantic shithole, I just want to say a few words," _Savannah said. _"Despite all the hell I put you guys through, I couldn't ask for a better group of soldiers to go into battle with."_

"_Wow, that's probably the nicest thing she's ever said to us," _Wedge commented.

"_And that's the nicest thing you'll ever hear," _Savannah added.

The flashing sirens outside told them it was time. Soon the pods jettisoned from the ship and shot their way toward the planet's surface. The shift in gravity was nothing new to Typhon but if he was not strapped in he'd practically be glued to the ceiling.

"_I can see enemy ships warping in,"_ Nel commented.

"Let's just hope our guys get here in time," Typhon commented.

The pods were then making reentry into the planet's atmosphere and they could see the targeted landing site. "Holy shit, they weren't kidding!" Wedge said.

Each pod struck the ground hard, causing a small crater in each spot. Typhon's restraints unclamped and he grabbed his gun and jumped out as the pod opened up. They were immediately met with gunfire and artillery rounds that exploded around them. They immediately ran for cover, finding some behind one of the abandoned buildings.

"Alright, we only have one shot at this!" Savannah yelled above all the chaos. "We have to take out those anti-air guns or else reinforcements will be blasted out of the sky. We have only have four charges and limited ammo so we have to make this count. Typhon and Nel, you two take the one on the left, the rest of us will take the one on the right. And whatever you do, don't stop moving!"

The next explosion took out part of the building they were behind, which was their cue to move out. "I got your six Nel," Typhon said.

"Actually you can have my twelve," Nel replied as she opened fire on some of the pirates heading out from the palace square. "And maybe keep an eye on the artillery in front of us as well."

They entered a second building, which appeared to have been a home at one time. Looking out one of the windows, they saw the large gun up ahead. "Where's a rocket launcher when you need it?" Typhon asked.

"If it were that easy, we could've just had the navy do all the work," Nel replied. "I'll distract them while you plant the charge."

"Hey now wait a minute, there's at least thirty of them heading in this direction, you can't hold them off on your own," Typhon argued.

"Typhon, do you remember who holds the title of 'Best Sharpshooter'?" Nel asked.

Typhon paused. "Fine…" He then gave her two extra clips. "Just in case."

"How sweet of you, now get your ass moving," Nel said as she pulled out both of her pistols.

"_Women."_ Typhon rolled his eyes as he exited the building from the back. Nel already started opening fire on the pirates who were starting to head towards the building. He was able to sneak through the alleyways until reaching the large gun and taking out the remaining guards. He then smacked the charge onto it as it glowed green, primed and ready.

He then heard gunfire behind him, lots of it. "You better not go dying on me Nel…" he muttered as he quickly made his way back. As he thought, the pirates had the place surrounded but Nel was handling things well on her own. He then pulled off a grenade and primed it, tossing it into a large group of them. They heard it clinking on the ground and responded too slowly before it went off, taking out about a dozen of them. The rest were directed towards where the blast took place but Typhon was already firing on them; they didn't have a chance.

Once the area was clear, he went back inside, almost spooking her and taking a bullet to the head. "We need some sort of code word to identify ourselves," Nel said as she lowered her gun.

"Is Geronimo too long of a word?" Typhon asked.

"_Typhon, we got the charge planted, how is it on your end?" _Savannah asked via commlink.

"Same here ma'am," Typhon replied. "Shall we start the show?"

"_Gladly." _Typhon grinned as he hit the detonator. Both guns lit up like Christmas trees and the reflective boom could be heard miles away.

"This is Private Typhon, bring in the thunder and the loud, loud rain."

"_Roger that Sirius." _Two of the pilots from Husky shot down from space and immediately opened fire on the artillery, destroying everything within seconds. Now the land invasion could commence.

"Well isn't that a beautiful sight," Nel said as she looked outside.

Typhon then saw the reflection of a scope and moved quickly. As he drug her down he heard the sound of the rifle being shot as they both crashed to the ground. "Nel, are you alright!?"

She was breathing really fast and as Typhon looked down he saw the blood. He ripped open her uniform to find where the bullet struck and was somewhat relieved to see it missed her heart and any vital arteries. She may survive, but she needed help fast.

"Damn it to hell," Nel cursed as she leaned against the wall. "I forgot the oldest rule in the book… well… can't do anything about it now…"

"Don't talk," Typhon said quickly as he applied pressure to the wound. "You'll be fine Nel, we're going to get you out of here."

"No," Nel replied. "You need to finish the mission. I'll be fine, the medical team will be here shortly. Now go."

"Damn it Ellen I'm not just going to-!" He was cut off suddenly as her lips met his and were locked about five seconds before she pulled away.

"That wasn't a request Private," she said, her breath shallow. "Now get going before it's too late." Typhon glared at her but soon he nodded and got up and left the building.

It didn't take long for him to meet up with the others. "Troops are coming in as we speak so they'll take care of things here," Savannah said. She then looked at Typhon. "Where's Nel?"

Typhon looked her straight in the eye and could only say, "She won't be coming with us." No one had to ask and each of them stayed quiet.

"I see," Savannah replied. "We have to get moving. The palace is going to be the most heavily defended spot so I need all of you to stay alert." Wedge and Corin nodded and headed towards the palace while Savannah stayed behind. "Private, I know how you're feeling right now but I need you one hundred percent right now. I'm not going to lose two of you in one day, you hear me?"

Typhon sighed and nodded. "Loud and clear ma'am."

Meanwhile, Nel was still in the building, her pistol armed and loaded as she activated her SOS beacon. She wasn't bleeding out as quickly as she feared, but it was only a matter of time. She kept her heartbeat as calm as she could as she quickly studied her perimeters. _"Let's see who can get to me first…"  
_

* * *

After about twenty minutes of enduring Brynhilde's torture, Krystal was brought to the main part of the castle depths where the large Cerinian construct was held. It was then she spotted a familiar face. "Dr. Stockman!?"

"Krystal!" Stockman replied. "Now look, before you get the wrong idea, I had nothing to do with this, I came here by accident and-"

"I understand," Krystal replied as she was then forced onto her knees, her wrists cuffed together. "I'm glad to see you're alive."

Stockman looked back and forth as the guard looked away and once it was clear, he went up to her and whispered, "Listen, I don't know what's going on but whatever this thing is can't be good and I think it can only be opened with your presence. If you're going to do something drastic I'd do it soon."

There then came a loud explosion outside that rocked the earth slightly. Most of the guards dropped what they were doing and headed towards the main floor. "The Cornerians are here," Krystal said.

"Took them long enough," Stockman muttered. He then heard a beep on his tablet and went to look at it. "I knew it. This thing is definitely reacting to your presence. It's fully operational."

Krystal went up to it and put her hand up to it – only to have it pass through the object. "It's… like a cloud."

"It's never done that before…" Stockman said, surprised. "I guess there's only one thing to do: you're going to have to go in it."

"In this?" Krystal asked. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"I think if it wanted to vaporize you it would've done so already," Stockman replied. "And I would rather have you go through than the big bad General who will be here in a matter of minutes so go!"

Suddenly one of the guards showed up and grabbed Stockman. "Just got orders from the General. Looks like he doesn't need you anymore doctor."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Stockman argued as he was dragged by him and another guard. He quickly looked at Krystal and nodded, knowing now was the time.

Krystal nodded back and took another step towards the cloud-like object. Her hands passed through again and as she took another step she was fully immersed inside. The object appeared to glow a bright turquoise before returning to its original color.

Inside, it was as if the morning sun was rising. It was so bright she had to shield her eyes with her hand but the light was slowly starting to dim.

"I knew one day you would return…" The voice seemed to echo throughout but she quickly spotted the figure ahead of her. The slight mist almost concealed it but as Krystal looked, it started to come into view. Krystal's legs shook and a soft cry seemed to escape her lips as she instantly recognized the figure: a blue vixen with a pearl-white necklace and traditional Cerinian robes.

"Mother." It was the only word that could come out of her mouth.

* * *

(A/N: Well this went longer than I expected. Good thing I started early then. Yes, if you haven't read the previous story you're not going to know this next character or anything she's even talking about so… you have been warned. I should bring to everyone's attention that I have decided to do a Marcus McCloud story based on the new Star Fox team. Yes, like I've said I'm not a huge fan of Command overall but some of the endings like the birth of Kursed are actually ideas that could be fun and could be seen as a spin-off of the actual storyline. That being said, if Nintendo decided to pull that for a new game before returning to the core Star Fox team I will not be happy. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys again soon.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	8. Cerinia

Chapter 8: Cerinia

Once Wolf regained his composure, he realized he was no longer on the _Hornet _but instead saw the familiar landscape of Cerinia, just outside the main entrance of the Royal Palace itself. There weren't many guards outside, meaning it was more heavily guarded on the inside. He then heard artillery not too far from his position, meaning the Cornerian assault had already begun. As he was about to sneak inside, he then heard a familiar voice.

"Look, listen, I'm a scientist, you can't just shoot unarmed citizens! That's pretty low, even for pirates." Wolf saw Stockman being escorted out by two armed guards. It all now answered the question of what happened to him.

"Doesn't really matter doc," the first guard said. "Maybe you might survive and get rescued; that's if you don't accidentally get hit by a shell."

"Think of it as putting you out of your misery," the second said. "But since we're so nice we'll give you ten steps to give enough time to gather your thoughts. Better be worth it because they'll be your last."

The two guards chuckled and Stockman, realizing his predicament turned around to face his death. He took one step, and another, and another. At about the seventh he heard two gunshots and braced himself. But he didn't feel any pain as he turned around and saw both guards were dead and Wolf O'Donnell standing behind them, holstering his weapon.

This wasn't the rescue plan Stockman had in mind but he decided to choose his words carefully. "You know, I always found the Star Wolf team to be the better of the two," he said casually.

"No need to be buttering me up doctor," Wolf said. "You alright?"

"I've been better," Stockman replied. "Think I'm really going to need a vacation after this."

"Sorry to leave you hanging but I have another person to go rescue," Wolf said. He then pulled out his second revolver and tossed it to the feline. "Ever shot a gun before?"

"Shot my dad's .37," Stockman replied. "When I was ten…"

"You'll be fine," Wolf said with a wave as he headed back to the palace. "Just stay out of the line of fire and you'll be alright."

Stockman just stood there, staring at the gun. "Sometimes I really hate my job," he murmured before heading in the general direction of where the artillery was shooting.

As Wolf studied the palace carefully, he guessed that both Brynhilde and Krystal would be underground, unaffected by the fighting. He had to pause again and ask himself why he was going to such lengths to help her, a member of Star Fox.

It came down to two reasons: she was one of the few people he actually admired, and the list was pretty short. Fox was on that list as well but it didn't stop him from pursuing to take him down. The other was that knowing she was now Fox's mate, her death would destroy him from the inside and he would no longer have that drive and energy he has come to know Fox by. No, when the day comes that he finally takes Fox down, they both have to go it one hundred percent, no excuses. But as much as he hated to admit it, he knew the second reason was just an excuse of its own.

* * *

Aemelia smiled, seeing her daughter for the first time in many years. "My dear Krystal, I knew one day you would come back home."

Krystal slowly walked closer to her mother before standing right in front of her. Her knees started to shake as tears formed in her eyes as she fell to her knees and hugged her mother's waist, sobbing quietly. "Is…is this really happening? Is it really you?"

Aemelia hugged her close and stroked her hair. "Of course it is. Krystal, you must know that I am so proud of you. Your father would be too if he were here now."

Krystal let out a dark chuckle before standing back up. "Proud? How? All I've accomplished so far was to join a mercenary team, and I'm even in love with one! Who could be proud of that?"

"I know deep down you do not consider them as that," Aemelia replied. "In fact, I believe Fox McCloud has the heart that every Cerinian possesses. But loving him and considering your friends as family is not something we would be ashamed of. If anything, you should be ashamed of us." She turned away and took a few steps before sighing. "I feel partly to blame for our planet's destruction. I knew Tacitus was developing that doomsday device of his… but your father assured that it was probably nothing but would talk to him just the same. I can remember the arguments your father and uncle had; after that it was the last time any of us ever saw him. I do not know how he survived… it was almost as if he was chosen to return. Despite this, he thought the whole plan as a plot to destroy Cerinia completely, instead of an accident. I think deep down Tacitus had burdened himself with the guilt and responsibility of destroying all those he cared about, hence his quest for revenge."

"He didn't care about the deaths of millions on Corneria," Krystal growled. "If we hadn't stopped him, he would have wiped out the entire planet. Why did he have so much hatred for Corneria?"

"That is a story that begins hundreds of years ago," Aemelia replied. "You wish to know more about our culture Krystal, and it is my duty to provide what I can. Now listen closely…"

* * *

(A/N: For this next part the song I'm using is "Haven" from Halo 4.)

* * *

*Everything went black for Krystal as a hologram, a map of the entire Lylat System lit up in front of her. Remarkably, it also showed Cerinia as well.

"_Hundreds of years ago, Cerinia was seen as the greatest civilization of that time. We had the most advanced military, technology, and perhaps the greatest minds ever known. Despite our numbers, we always strove for peace and spread throughout the system, colonizing new worlds as part of our great order. It was a golden era of peace and prosperity. But there was one planet whose technology and military presence was on the rise as well." _

The map zoomed in on planet Corneria. _"Corneria was not that different from our planet, in fact you could say Corneria was a sister planet of Cerinia. The people of Corneria wanted peace as well but they wanted to be independent and started colonizing their own planets. This was not a concern for us, for we understood the fears they had of tyranny and misuse of power. But as they started colonizing, conflict soon came after. Certain planets had certain types of natural resources. Some of these planets were under our control and we had set up trade routes throughout our colonies. The Cornerians would have to pay a certain amount to obtain some of these resources. But they accused us of overpricing, saying that resources were too low and few on their colonies and they didn't have the money to purchase these things on a yearly basis. At first it started out as arguments but then it all came to a peak. The Cornerians attacked one of our trade routes, stole the resources and even attacked one of our colonies. Suddenly, we were at war with Corneria, a long and bitter war that lasted decades."_

"So you're saying this war was started over resources?"

"_It seems that way, but it was only one part. I believe the Cornerians saw us as a threat, competition they did not want. They thought if they equaled in power to us, we would have attacked them. I cannot say if this is true but some Cerinians back then believed in taking Corneria by force and annexing them into the Cerinian Empire._

The hologram changed again, showing a scene of an epic battle across what looked like Zoness. _"The war raged on multiple fronts and both sides took heavy losses, exhausting their manpower and supplies. It was then when a new threat came against the Lylat System, one you yourself have experienced."_

"No… that's impossible." The picture changed again and Krystal saw the familiar-looking beings that Fox had once referred as "blasted bugs."

"_No one truly knows where the Aparoids originated from or what, but all they wanted was to assimilate, expand, and evolve. Both the Cornerians and Cerinians were caught off guard and therefore established a temporary treaty, at least until the Aparoids were dealt with. Despite the odds against them, they were able to hold off the Aparoids as best they can, but the numbers they lost were far worse than when they had been fighting each other." _ Pictures depicted cities that had been completely annihilated across multiple planets. _"But they never gave up hope…and one day it appeared the tide had turned. The Aparoids were suddenly in retreat and the counterattack began, wiping out large numbers of them. It seemed as if the Aparoids were done for, but it is known now that that was not true, for they only went into hiding to restore their numbers."_

"And the war?"

"_Both sides had lost huge numbers, and the Cerinians begged for peace, but it was just not meant to be. The Cornerians launched one last attack, against Cerinia itself…" _Cornerian ships were shown attacking the planet Cerinia. _"Our military was greatly weakened and we had no chance of a counterattack. This was the final chapter of the war…and because of our surrender we lost our ships, weapons, everything. All of a sudden, we became semi-nomadic, worrying only about food, water, and shelter. But things eventually got better again, we evolved into the culture you yourself were born into. Perhaps it was meant to be, I will never know. But deep down, we were always meant to explore the dark reaches of space, just like the Cornerians. And you have been able to do that."  
_

* * *

(A/N: For this next part the song I'm using is "Solace" from Halo 4.)

* * *

*Suddenly Krystal found herself in the same area as before. She looked at her mother. "I don't know why the Cornerians did what they did, but I know they are not the same kind of people as before."

"I do not doubt it," Aemelia said. "But this is part of the reason why Tacitus had such hatred towards them. Now you know how everything came to be. I just wish I was actually able to tell you when you were still a young girl, when our planet truly existed. Now it is only a shell of itself, with the constant reminders of what happened to its people. Krystal, you cannot let that man obtain the secrets of our planet. You wish to know why I have remained here in this construct." She then cupped her hands as a small flash of light appeared, soon replaced with what looked like a disc. "This is the key to our secrets," she explained. "In the wrong hands, it could spell disaster to the entire Lylat System. That man cannot figure out the truth."

A door suddenly appeared behind Krystal as she took the disc. Seeing it, she then remembered the situation she was currently in. "I guess I have to go now…" she said sadly. "This will be the last time I see you, isn't it?"

"Perhaps," Aemelia replied. "But always know that we, and Cerinia, will always be in your heart."

Krystal suddenly felt as if she were being pulled towards the door. "Wait, one last thing… is this really happening or it is just my mind playing tricks on me?"

Aemelia's face had disappeared but she still laughed. "Of course this is really happening, but it doesn't mean that it's not real…!"

* * *

(A/N: For this last part the song I'm using is "The Fleets Arrive" from Mass Effect 3.)

* * *

*Meanwhile, just outside Cerinia's orbit- _"Captain Hill, we're detecting a warp gate signature!"_

"_Well it's about damn time they showed up."_

The familiar green dome lit up behind the three ships and soon about thirty ships crossed their way from Corneria to Cerinia. There was one ship that stood out from the rest, a dreadnought-class ship with a familiar logo on the side of it.

"_Captain Hill of the _CFC Hornet_, the cavalry has arrived, and we've brought a few friends as well."_

"_Oh you know, just willing to help back up the fleet is all," _Peppy Hare replied.

Bill Grey was among the many to notice the ship and the three Arwings that exited it. "Fox is that you? Well this is a surprise."

"_Bill?" _Fox's transmission came through. _"Surprise indeed, no one told us you guys were here."_

"Oh that's not all," Bill replied. "Good to see you again though and we can use all the help we can get. By the way, I'm already up to ten fighters so good luck keeping up."

"_What a sure-shot," _Falco chimed in. _"At the end of this both of your scores combined won't top mine."_

"_Whatever you say Falco," _Slippy replied. _"But I'm in it to win it too."_

"_Speaking of which, where's Krystal?" _Fox asked.

"Uh…long story actually,"Bill said. "But while I explain let's take care of these guys first."

"_Sounds good to me," _Fox said as Bill's ship formed up with them. _"I just hope you've been taking good care of her Bill."_

Bill knew it was supposed to be a joke but he felt a slight bit of dread as well. All he could do was hope Krystal showed up soon unscathed.

* * *

(A/N: And there you have it folks. I've pretty much explained what could have occurred back then when Cerinia was still around but considering there isn't much known about Cerinia, nothing is canon. I can only hope at some point the planet is explained in more detail, or perhaps the secret is stuck with Rare, who has gone to the dark side. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys soon.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	9. The Battle of Cerinia

(A/N: For this beginning part, the song I'm using is "Nemesis" from Halo 4.)

* * *

Chapter 9: The Battle of Cerinia

*As soon as Krystal found herself outside the Cerinian construct, she knew her little venture had not gone unnoticed. "What have you done!?" Krystal looked over and saw General Brynhilde storming towards her. She then realized she was still holding the disc that had been given to her and hid it away as best she could.

Brynhilde stared incredulously at the machine. The slow, low humming it produced before was now gone. "It shut down… it completely shut down…" His anger soon returned as he pounded a fist against it. "The whole plan, everything… everything is now ruined." He then turned his attention back to Krystal. "You stupid, little bitch! Look what you've done!" He then grabbed her by the collar. "Weeks of planning, carefully laid out plans, they've all gone down the drain. I should kill you… in fact-" He then pulled out a small pistol and pointed the muzzle right under her chin. "I think I will. It won't make up for the damage caused, but it will certainly raise my spirits, if only temporarily."

"Face it General," Krystal spat. "You've lost. It won't be long before the Cornerians break through and arrest you anyway. But if you're going to kill me, go through with it already!"

He was ready to pull the trigger but then he noticed something. "What is this?" He then reached into her pocket and pulled out the disc, despite her struggling. At first he looked confused, but then it finally clicked. Brynhilde chuckled then. "Of course… how could I be so foolish…? Even if I was the one to have gone in, I would never have been given this. This is the key isn't it?" His chuckling then changed to laughter. "I knew you would be needed! It seems fortune has finally answered my call! I suppose now I won't have to kill you after all." He then let her go and turned, marveling in the small disc. "My dreams will finally come true: I, General Brynhilde, will become the new Emperor of the Lylat System!"

Suddenly a gunshot went off and one of the guards crumbled to the ground. "Now you're starting to sound just like that nut Andrew," Wolf said as he entered the room, revolver pointed at Brynhilde's head.

"Wolf, what a pleasant surprise," Brynhilde said. He then grabbed Krystal again and held her at gunpoint. "But I'm afraid I don't have time for games. Now that I have what I want, it is time for me to make my clean getaway."

Wolf then heard footsteps and the cock of guns being pointed at him as he was soon surrounded by pirate troops. "If that's so, then there's no need to hurt the girl," Wolf said calmly. "Besides, you've never killed in cold blood and why start now?"

Brynhilde paused for a moment. "You're right." He then shoved Krystal forward into Wolf's arms. "I already have what I need. I'll let these guys decide what to do with you." And with that, he raced to the elevator and headed back to the surface.

"I appreciate you coming to save me Wolf," Krystal said testily. "But you realize he just ran off with something more important than you or I."

"You're welcome princess," Wolf grumbled. "I guess considering we're about to be done in anyway…"

Gunshots then went off as the group of guards went down in a flash. "Not quite yet O'Donnell," Savannah said as she and the rest of Sirius Squad made their way into the palace depths. "Glad to see you're still in one piece Krystal."

"And I as well," Krystal replied.

Wedge whistled. "Wow. I have to admit, the Cerinians sure knew their architecture."

"I hate to cut the reunion short," Krystal said quickly. "But we need to catch the general."

"Go ahead, we got this area covered," Typhon said.

Krystal nodded and headed towards the elevator, followed by Wolf. Once they got to the main floor, they hear the sound of aircraft taking off. Once outside, they realized they were too late as Brynhilde's shuttle flew off towards space.

Krystal groaned sadly. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"Actually, I think I may know an easier way to get back to our ships," Wolf replied.

Once Wolf showed her the other Cerinian device, Krystal didn't feel reassured. "You're sure this is safe?"

"Made it here in one piece didn't I?" Wolf said. "Course I may have lost part of an eyebrow in the process…"

Krystal wanted to smack him but thought better of it. "Does it hurt?"

"More uncomfortable than painful," Wolf replied. He then reached out his hand. Krystal took it and as he placed his hand on the device, she felt exactly what Wolf was talking about and saw that her physical being was being dissolved.

When she regained consciousness, she and Wolf were back in the lab of the _Hornet_. "Amazing…" Krystal said. "These devices actually allow to teleport from any location. Incredible."

"Didn't you say we have an ape to catch?" Wolf reminded her.

"Yes, let's just hope our ships are ready for takeoff."

Most of the ships in the hangar were gone, but Krystal's Arwing and Wolf's Wolfen were still stationed in the same spots as before.

"_Krystal, Wolf, this is Hill. Sirius Squad alerted me about your safety and I figured you wouldn't waste time getting to your ships."_

"How bad is it out there Captain?" Krystal said as she went through her preflight instructions.

"_The Cornerian Fleet has arrived and is currently engaging the enemy," _Hill replied. _"The entire area is filled with ships and lasers, so fly carefully."_

"Will do," Krystal said. "If the fleet does happen to break through, Brynhilde's ship is the main target."

"_Understood."_

"Well Wolf, let's hope your flying skills haven't gone rusty in the past few months," Krystal said as her thrusters ignited.

"None of those idiots are going to make a mark on my ship," Wolf replied. Soon the Arwing and Wolfen took off into space.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Space Battleground" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

*It was complete chaos out in space. Everywhere you looked there were fighters in dog fights and lasers being exchanged from both sides. She remembered the Battle of Fortuna well, but the fighting here was much more fierce. One of the fighters suddenly exploded in front of Krystal, causing her to veer left.

Once she got a view of the Cornerian fleet, she instantly recognized _Great Fox_'s distinct shape. "It couldn't be…" She then opened up a channel. "Fox, is that really you?"

"Krystal, where have you been!?" Fox exclaimed.

"And more importantly, who's your buddy?" Falco asked.

"I was actually just about to get to that…" Bill interrupted.

"What's wrong Lombardi, you sound like you've seen a ghost," Wolf said snidely.

"So Star Wolf did survive!" Slippy said happily.

Krystal sighed. "Fox, I promise in due time I'll explain everything but right now we need to catch General Brynhilde. He's the one behind all this."

"And probably the one in the flagship as well," Fox said. "Alright Krystal, we'll help out as best we can. Nice to see you're still in one piece Wolf."

"Don't even start getting sappy on me Fox," Wolf warned him. "I got my own bone to pick with Brynhilde and once that's over I'm out."

"Like I've said before, a real charmer," Falco said, rolling his eyes.

"Fox, you guys worry about the General, I'll stay behind and backup the fleet," Peppy said.

"And Bulldog and Husky will distract the fighters while you clear out their battleships," Bill said. "If we make it through this, drinks are on me."

"I'll make sure you keep that promise," Fox replied. "Alright everyone, let's give the fleet a hand and clear the road." The five of them split into two groups, taking on the battleships on both the left and right. Despite the resources the pirates had, for some reason they did not bother upgrading their ships to block out their exposed weak points. Fox was only happy to point this out to them as he fired his lasers, breaking the ship into two before exploding. Much of the same was happening with everyone else.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using here is "To Galaxy (Extended)" from Halo 4.)

* * *

*"There, I see Brynhilde's ship, dead ahead!" Krystal said.

The ship was indeed large and much more improved than the rest of the enemy fleet. They then saw the ship turn, making its getaway. "He's abandoning his own fleet?" Slippy asked.

"He already got what he wanted, so he doesn't need them anymore," Wolf explained. "It's amazing he actually earned his stripes."

"Uh, am I the only one feeling déjà vu here?" Falco asked.

"Keep following him, but be cautious, he might be up to something," Fox warned.

"Whoa, asteroid field ahead!" Slippy said quickly.

"He's crazy!" Falco exclaimed. While not as large at Meteo, it would still be almost impossible for a large battleship to maneuver around, but Brynhilde's ship merely went through it, which most likely meant that the crew shifted most of their power towards the shields. For a ship such as the Arwing though, it didn't have to worry about, nor afford to, crash into any asteroids. Fox and the group quickly swerved around as most of the asteroids collided into each other. Soon the field grew thinner and thinner as they made their way out.

"While we have a moment, you might as well tell your story Krystal," Fox suggested.

Krystal broke everything down as best she could, explaining about the pirates, Wolf's arrival, the attack on the _Hornet_, and the disc that Brynhilde currently had. "So what kinds of secrets are on that disc?" Fox asked.

"Ones that cannot fall into the wrong hands," Krystal replied. "If we lose Brynhilde now, we may never find him again."

"I'm picking something up on radar," Slippy said. "Looks like a minefield."

"Uh… those don't look like regular mines," Falco commented.

Fox recognized them immediately. "Those are sonic mines! Everyone, evasive maneuvers!" Everyone pulled back but it was too late. The mines quickly set off, causing large sonic booms that would obliterate large asteroids completely; in fact, that was their primary use. If they had been any closer, their ships would have been turned into scrap metal. "Everyone okay?" Fox asked.

"My head's rattling but I'm okay," Slippy copied.

"This guy isn't joking one bit," Falco added.

"He's close though," Wolf said. "Now we just need to catch up and cut him off track." Indeed, they could barely make out the thrusters from the ship's engines but they were now starting to gain on him.

"_Hm, so even my minefield wasn't enough to take you out," _Brynhilde said disapprovingly. _"It doesn't matter Star Fox team, I have already won."_

"That's not how we see it General," Fox responded.

"_Then perhaps I'll have to make it more clear to you."_

"Fox, I'm detecting a warp transmission," Krystal warned. "We can't let him get away!"

"_Seeing as I have time, I'll decide to join in your little game," _Brynhilde replied. Suddenly, the guns on the ship pointed in the opposite direction towards the group and opened fire.

Fox and the others had to bob and weave through the array of lasers and missiles showering them. "We only have one chance of doing this, we need to take out his engines," Fox commanded. "As soon as we get in range, fire everything you got." The clock was ticking; it would only be minutes before Brynhilde would manage to get away.

"Wait, now I'm picking something else up," Krystal stated. "Two ships, coming this way!"

Wolf couldn't believe his eyes or his ears. "Could it actually be…?"

* * *

(A/N: That's right folks, something's going on and I'm keeping you all waiting as usual, how cruel! Well, I can say this: this will be the second to last chapter of the story, not including any other extra stuff I might add. Yes, this story is short but I kind of planned it this way but there will be more to come in the Cerinian Arc, as I like to call this. But more of that will be explained at another time. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you guys again soon.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	10. Brynhilde's Last Duel

(A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys, I only just got the opportunity to upload this. I have a feeling you guys already know what's about to come next but oh well. The song I'm playing here is "Star Wolf Theme" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

Chapter 10: Brynhilde's Last Duel

*Two bolts of redshot out from space towards Brynhilde's ship. "Sorry we're late to the party," Panther Caroso transmitted casually to the entire crew.

"It seems like you survived after all Wolf," Leon Powalski added.

"It's about time you two showed up," Wolf replied. "Now you can repay us by shutting this chimp down."

"With pleasure," Leon said pleasantly, as pleasant as he usually gets. "Allow us to show you how it's done Falco."

"My dear Krystal, we meet again at last," Panther said, not wasting time to put on the charm.

"Jeez, this guy doesn't waste time at all," Falco muttered.

"Er… perhaps now is not the best time Panther," Krystal replied.

"That means you too Panther," Wolf barked out.

"But of course." The two Wolfens lined and attacked the ship's engines, taking them out within seconds. The ship soon started to slow down as it continued to coast through space.

"I'm getting the feeling you already knew they were alive," Fox commented.

"You ought to know us better than anyone else," Wolf remarked. "But I admit I had my doubts…" He then turned serious. "Now that we have him cornered, this is the best chance we have. Leon, Panther, you two stay here and keep an eye out in case the General decides to make a getaway."

"Krystal and I will go with you," Fox added. "Falco and Slippy, you guys will stay here too, but if you see any escape pods, make sure you scan them before firing."

"Then let's get going," Wolf said as he and the two Arwings made their way towards the ship's hangar. With the ship's shields down, they were able to cross through into the ship with ease.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Pylons" from Halo 4.)

* * *

*Once they landed, the three of them descended from their ships. "Well, no one's here yet so we better get ready and load up." He opened up a compartment on his ship and tossed a machine gun to both Krystal and Wolf.

"Well, I've seen your flying Fox, now let's see how you handle yourself in a firefight," Wolf said.

The alarms soon went off. "They're coming," Krystal whispered. The three of them ducked under cover as the doors ahead of them opened and piles of soldiers came through, opening fire.

"Uh, these guys look more like Special Forces than pirates," Fox remarked as he looked up and fired a few shots.

"Probably some Elite Guard Brynhilde conjured up," Wolf grunted as debris splattered around him. "We're going to need a strategy here."

Fox then saw a plan right in front of him in the shape of explosives. "Krystal, when I give the okay, you think you can use your power to move those crates of explosives?"

"I'll give it a try," Krystal replied.

Fox waited for the soldiers to get in position before saying, "Do it now, I'll cover you!"

Krystal focused on the crates and used the willpower she had as suddenly the crates started floating and heading to where the soldiers were. Fox lined up his shot and pulled the trigger. The first bullet hit the crate and exploded, causing a chain reaction that erupted throughout the entire hangar. Luckily, the three of them were spared from the explosion.

"Not bad," Wolf chuckled. "Still, let's try something that doesn't singe off my fur next time."

They made their way to the elevator which would take them to the main floor. "Is Brynhilde close by?" Fox asked.

Krystal closed her eyes. "He's at the main bridge, which isn't far from where we are." She then winced in pain. "Sorry, his little shock therapy has made it hard to concentrate." She opened her eyes and looked at both of them. "It's been a rough day."

As soon as the elevator doors opened, they were met with a group of soldiers who had already installed mobile turrets, ones that were already operational and opened fire. "Great, they already have their defenses mapped out," Wolf growled. "Brynhilde isn't making this easy for us."

"I'm moving up, cover me!" Fox ordered. "And Wolf, don't even get any ideas."

"Hey, if I'm going to take you down, it's going to be from a ship, not a bullet," Wolf replied.

Fox shook his head slightly and moved up quickly, avoiding the fire from the turrets and the other soldiers. He then pulled out a grenade and chucked it, hoping he had timed it right. The grenade bounced off the wall and rolled into the path of one of the turrets, exploding and taking it out while temporarily disabling the other one.

Their advance was cut short as one of the soldiers was firing off a grenade launcher, hoping to knick one of them in the face. But he had gotten careless exposing himself that Krystal was able to take him out with three shots. The soldiers were now in retreat, but their priority was clearly to delay them, but for what? Brynhilde wouldn't be stupid enough to escape with four ships outside ready to gun him down.

Fox then noticed something. "I haven't seen one member of the ship's crew at all," he said.

"They abandoned ship!" Krystal realized. Her answer was confirmed as they heard the sound of escape pods being jettisoned outside as they went by the window.

"No point getting killed here," Wolf said. "But it'll only be a matter of time before they're found and arrested."

"The main bridge is just up ahead," Krystal stated. "Looks like Brynhilde is waiting for us."

"Then let's go and meet the big ape," Fox responded. All that was left in front of them was one of the main corridors, where the soldiers were now dug in.

"Now it's my turn to show a little trick," Wolf said. He then pulled a small disc from his belt and tossed it down the hall, where it clipped to one of the walls. The device started flashing and beeping and within three seconds it went off, leaving carnage and destruction in its wake. "Detonator mines," Wolf said with a satisfied breath. "Never leave home without them." Fox just shook his head again in disbelief.

The doors in front of them opened and they got to see for the first time the bridge of a Venomian warship. For a ship that had been created over eight years ago, it was surprisingly polished and the tech put into it seemed up to date.

"Enjoy your tour of the ship?" Brynhilde was at the front of ship, the background of space behind him. "Of course I was able to hear you coming a mile away, and figured you would probably be too much for my troops. No matter, I actually wanted you all to witness what I uncovered."

"I think you mean what Krystal uncovered," Fox retorted.

"Oh Fox McCloud, what ages it has been," Brynhilde said with a grin. "This could not be more perfect, having my three worst enemies all in one jar."

"Think again General," Krystal replied. "You're finished."

"Not just yet," Brynhilde replied. "Perhaps now is the time for you to see what I've been so eager to show you." He then slipped the disc into the main computer. Soon the main hologram projector lit up, producing at first what looked like coordinates. Then the blinking dot expanded to two, then four and covered four sides of the screen. Then small round objects started appearing, the largest one in the center, with the blinking lights covering four of them.

"It's… a map," Fox said.

"Of course," Brynhilde said in surprise. "It all makes sense now. Years ago the Cerinians controlled most of the Lylat System, which means they're technology and influence was spread all around. And these planets must be the ones that contain them. But which ones are they?"

"You'll just have to keep thinking about that in a Cornerian prison," Krystal replied.

Brynhilde laughed. "You really think I'll come that easy?" He then pulled out his pistol. "Perhaps I can't kill all of you but at least one of you won't make it out alive. Don't try me."

"You're right," Wolf said. "We'll have to settle this the old-fashioned way." He then took out the two revolvers he had and emptied the bullets onto the floor except one. He then took another bullet from his belt. "One live, one blank." He then inserted the live bullet into one of the guns and the blank into the other, making sure they were in the chamber. "Little game of luck I like to call it. We choose our gun and then we draw. Only one will come out victorious, unless your shot is rather poor." He then tossed the guns in the air, juggling them slightly to confuse his opponent. He then put both guns on the panel between them. "Because I'm such a nice guy I'll let you pick first."

"Wolf!" Krystal exclaimed. "This is madness, Fox make him stop!"

Fox looked and saw the serious look in his eye. He could see a slight smile on the wolf's face. He has never bet against Wolf before and he wouldn't start now. He nodded in approval.

"You're taking a large risk at this Wolf," Brynhilde commented. "But what if I come out as the victor?"

"If you do manage to kill me," Wolf replied. "Then these two will surrender and be taken as your prisoners." Fox gave a hard look at him, hoping this was all part of his gambit.

Brynhilde was deep in thought for a moment. "Very well." He then stepped, already feeling confident. He had seen the bullet go into the right gun and kept a very close eye on it. Wolf was making a huge mistake. He picked up the revolver and turned back around, waiting for the signal. He had seen enough "duels" in his lifetime and knew it was a matter of chance of where the bullet would hit. But if he indeed chose right, Wolf would have no way to defend himself.

"On the count of three…" Wolf announced. "One…two…three!"

Both of them turned at the same time and both guns fired. Brynhilde saw the gun go off. But he then felt pain in chest and looked down, seeing blood starting to stain his uniform. Impossible! He never lost track of the gun… unless both bullets had been blanks and he had another live in the chamber. How could he have been so stupid?

Brynhilde sighed in defeat and looked Wolf square in the eye. "Nice shot… 'Boss'" Those were his last words before General Elias Brynhilde fell to the ground dead.

It was silent for a moment before Fox chose to say, "I should've known you'd be the one to cheat."

"Considering I just saved your lives as well as mine," Wolf stated. "I think you should be thanking me instead."

Krystal shook her head. "All these wasted lives, and for what purpose?"

"Brynhilde put a lot into his plan," Fox replied. "But he never saw it coming apart. He was that obsessed with obtaining that data."

"It's the last he ever saw," Wolf added as he took out the disc. He then held it out to Krystal. "You take it. I have no use for it."

Krystal took it and stared at the disc in her palm. What other secrets did this disc hold? She had a feeling this journey was not over yet.

* * *

(A/N: For this final part, the song I'm using here is "Ending Credits, Theme Reprise" from Star Fox Assault.)

* * *

*"This is Fox McCloud of the Star Fox team, General Brynhilde has been eliminated and his forces disposed of," Fox transmitted to the Cornerian fleet.

"Most of his forces have either surrendered or were destroyed," Peppy replied. "After the General's retreat, everything fell apart for them."

"Roger that Peppy, we're on our way back." The four Arwings were currently hovering outside of the Venomian warship. "You sure you're going to stay behind Wolf?"

"Nah, we like leaving the hero stuff to you guys," Wolf replied. "Besides, we now have this ship to ourselves and repairs need to be done. Now we'll finally be evenly matched."

Fox chuckled. "I guess so."

"Wolf, I do want to thank you again for all that you've done," Krystal said.

"Save it," Wolf replied. "I figured I was just doing it all as a favor, that's all. It's like you said before, I guess I'm just stuck in my old ways. Just remember one thing Fox, I better not have to keep saving your tail like this or else it's going to affect my image."

"I'll try not to," Fox said. "Alright Star Fox team, let's move out!" The four them set out and headed back to Cerinia.

"So Fox, you're really okay with giving those guys an entire warship?" Falco asked.

"A warship with damaged engines and no crew," Fox reminded him.

"Eh, fair enough I suppose," Falco remarked.

"I'm just glad we're all heading back together," Slippy said. "It's good to have you back Krystal."

"It's good to _be _back," Krystal replied. "Sorry to keep you guys worried. Of course, it'll also be nice to take a long and hot shower when we get back as well."

"Then its official guys," Fox said. "Priority mission: make sure Krystal gets a shower."

"A _hot _shower," Slippy added.

"Maybe find her a masseuse as well," Falco joked.

Krystal feigned annoyance. "Ha ha, very funny guys." But deep down she couldn't help but smile. Perhaps her mother had been right; maybe this was meant to be, and these people she had grown to known, maybe they all were indeed a family.

* * *

FoxMcCloud7921


	11. Epilogue

(A/N: For this part, the song I'm using is "A Future That Many Will Never See" from Mass Effect 3.)

* * *

Epilogue

*After the fleet had returned home, a ceremony in Corneria City immediately followed. General Pepper gave a long speech, praising the bravery of the men and women in uniform who fought for a planet many had considered non-existent. But this was also for those who had not been so lucky, he said, and that this victory was as much as theirs as everyone else's.

After the speech, he began giving out medals. The recipients included Captain Hill as well as Lieutenant Axelrod; and Corporal Savannah and the rest of Sirius Squad. Nel, who was still recovering from her injury, was helped on stage by Typhon and addition for her medal of bravery she was awarded a Purple Heart due to her injury.

It was a proud day for Corneria, being involved in a conflict that didn't leave destruction in its wake. But for the higher-ups, there was a good deal of uncertainty. What was to be done with the planet Cerinia? Can it sustain life? Should the Cornerians consider colonizing it? The most important question was: what was so important about the planet that blood had to be spilled?

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the _Great Fox, _Krystal was staring out her window, showing her home planet slowly fading away into the background of space. "Something on your mind?" Krystal looked over to Fox who had just freshened up.

"I remember looking out at a similar window just like this," Krystal replied. "I remember how beautiful the planet was… before it was gone. I thought at that moment it was the last I would ever see my home. And now that I'm looking at it again, I'm getting the same feeling again."

"Would you ever consider returning?" Fox asked.

"I don't know, perhaps one day," Krystal said, sighing sadly. "I thought by now the wounds had healed but this only just reopened them. It will never be the same now, but over time maybe I may consider."

"Have you looked at that disc?" Fox said, standing next to her now.

Krystal shook her head. "I admit I'm curious but… also a bit scared. Who knows what information that contains? It's really tempting but… for now I'll just put it off for later." She then turned to Fox and draped her arms around his neck. "For now though, I should be making up for the time lost since being gone."

They kissed for a moment and Fox quickly got the message. "Perhaps I should… get into something more comfortable?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Krystal purred slightly. She then sat on her bed and got into a sexy pose. "I'll be waiting…"

Fox didn't waste time. Changing from his uniform to sleep garments was tedious and he was as eager as she was. Considering this had to have been her first time, he had better perform well to her expectations, if she actually had expectations.

Once he came out, he was greeted by the sight of Krystal on her bed, fast asleep. Fox chuckled slightly and shook his head. Considering what she had been through, she deserved a good rest. He sighed slightly, his hopes dashed but there was always another day. He grabbed the covers and tucked her in before kissing her forehead. "Night Krystal," he said before leaving her room.

* * *

(A/N: Oh aren't I the biggest troll or what? I had this part planned out for weeks so… sorry if you were expecting any "action" in the bedroom. Well folks, there you have it, another story done. I know it's short and I realize compared to some of my other stories they're shorter in general, but realize this starting to become a saga of sorts and at least one more story is to be expected so you all know.

First of all, I'd like to thank all the supporters for reading this story and giving any feedback, which is always helpful. I would also like to thank **Emile the Watcher **for of course inspiring me to do this series and sorry I didn't mention you before but of course you know you got me going on this. And of course I can't forget to thank Nintendo for creating an awesome series, although I would like a new Star Fox game and remakes aren't going to cut it! That being said, I of course have no ownership of Star Fox or any of its characters.

Secondly, I have news about upcoming stories. I will of course start working on my next story, involving Kursed, soon and that will be my next main story. I forget if I mentioned possibly doing a story that involves Marcus McCloud and the new Star Fox team but I'm still working on that one and it'll either happen or not. Now of course I have a surprise. This is a series I have not written before but I have had thoughts about doing a Digimon fic, based on the original series. Digimon was one of my favorite cartoons back in the day next to Pokemon and for the heck of it since they started showing them on TV again I've been watching it, hence the inspiration of doing a fic. I can't say when it will be done but I might do it as a sub-story alongside my Kursed fic. We'll see. As for the sequel to this story, don't expect it anytime soon. It will happen I promise but I'm taking a slight break from it to focus on other stories. I hope you're all happy with this news and continue the support that has been given as well as welcome any new supporters who may read this at a later time. So until guys, this is FoxMcCloud7921 signing out!)


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